Conflicting Loves
by Tint
Summary: Jack lives a happy life working for his Grandfather in Mineral Town. But upon learning of his father's death, Jack must take over the farm in ForgetMeNot Valley. He is forced to leave everything behind, including his girlfriend, Elli.
1. Carrying on the Tradition

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 1: Carrying on the Tradition

_A/N: Legal disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon: Back to Nature or Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life. Natsume does and I respect their work far too much to infringe upon their copyrights. Every character used within this story belongs to Natsume and as such, is under the protection of legal statures which I cannot surpass. This legal disclaimer also applies to any other game, movie, anime, television show, play, etc. that I make reference to._

_With the legal issues taken care of, here's the description. This is a Back to Nature/A Wonderful Life crossover. Jack lives a happy life helping his grandfather on their farm in Mineral Town. One day, Jack receives a letter asking for Jack to take over the farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley in order to carry out the family tradition. Jack is forced to leave behind everything he cared for, including his girlfriend, Elli, and set off for Forget-Me-Not Valley. There, he becomes involved with Nami, almost forgetting about Elli until she shows up in Forget-Me-Not Valley, wanting Jack to come back to Mineral Town with her. Jack is faced with choosing between the two women that he loves. This idea is the result of a contest I was running on a different site. I hope everyone likes it, especially the contest winner!_

(-)

Jack was up at the peak of Mother's Hill, enjoying the early morning peace. The view from Mother's Hill was as close to perfect as one could possibly get. From the peak you could see for miles in every direction. Off in one direction was the dazzling ocean, with its blue waters disappearing off in the distance where water joined with the sky to form a perfect blue background. Little ships floating carelessly over the water's surface added to the serenity of the magnificent view.

Between the ocean and Mother's Hill was the tiny village of Mineral Town. Mineral Town was full of the friendliest people in the entire land. Everyone partook in joy-filled festivals celebrating the seasons and the love of nature that the people had. Most of these festivals were tributes to the Harvest Goddess, who protected the people of Mineral Town and enhanced the output of the many local farms.

It was on one of these local farms where Jack made his living. The young lad, who had just turned eighteen, loved this place. His family had been farmers for untold generations before him. It was part of the family's tradition for the eldest son of the family, upon his sixteenth birthday, to join his grandfather to learn the ways of the trade, eventually taking over the farm from his elder.

Jack was definitely not the typical farm child. It could be expected that a child who was raised on a farm to be a rough, down to earth person. Jack was hardly close to this stereotype. The young man was a dreamer, imagining what the future would bring him instead of focusing on the present. His brown eyes twinkled with a glow that told everyone that he was a kind person who could be trusted. A tuff of his dark brown hair stuck out from underneath his blue baseball cap, which he hardly ever removed. Jack never gave anyone an explanation to the purpose of the hat, just saying that he liked it.

Mineral Town sported many great achievements. The tiny town was the location of several annual festivals that showcased the prestige of the local farms, especially Jack's and his grandfather's. There was a top of the line clinic, an extremely beautiful church, well run market, a well stocked library, and a friendly inn for visitors to stay and drink themselves happy. Mineral Town also laid claim to an excellent blacksmith, winery, ranch, poultry farm, and a summer restaurant.

Then there was the natural beauty of the town, which attracted almost as many tourists as the festivals did. The beach was especially popular during the upcoming summer season, where swimming took place from sun up to sun down. Mother's Hill offered so much wonderful scenery that it was nearly impossible to witness everything in a single day. Fields blooming with flowers, the waterfall, caves to explore, a lake among the rocks, and a hot springs made up the incredible landmark.

Jack believed that there was something else about Mineral Town that made the place so perfect besides the nature or the festivals. Mineral Town had five lovely young maidens that attracted the attention of every male visitor. Each girl was beautiful in a way that made her unique compared tot the other girls. Some girls were absolutely stunning in the looks department, while others added brains to their own beauty.

Take the girl who was curled up in Jack's arms for instance. Elli was a drop dead gorgeous girl. Her shoulder length auburn hair and chestnut eyes, along with the rest of her, made her very attractive. Elli was the kind of girl who radiated intelligence through her words and knowledge. She was perfect, just like the rest of the town.

Elli and Jack had known each other since Jack came to Mineral Town to live with his grandfather. The two teens had instantly became friends, almost inseparable. When one needed help with something, the other was always there. They stayed friends for a good year before their relationship started to become serious. In Jack's second year in Mineral Town, the young lad had asked to accompany Elli to the Goddess Festival, a festival which usually signaled that a girl and her escort were starting to become serious. The two have been dating ever since.

Now, this was probably the work of foresight on behalf of Jack's ancestors. By giving the young man a few years during his late teens to get used to the farm life, he also became exposed to the local women. Thus, further generations were pretty much a guarantee, as the male would almost definitely be able to find a future bride for himself. Not that Jack had thought about this implication when he courted Elli, but the thought had crossed his mind later.

The early Spring weather couldn't have been friendlier to the couple. Today was surprisingly warm, with no breeze or clouds to upset the romantic escapade. Jack was resting with his back pressed up against a rock and Elli was resting beside him. "Hey, Jack?" Elli asked, breaking the tranquility.

"Hmmm?" Jack responded, leaving his eyes closed.

"I never want this to end." Elli's whispered words caused Jack to smile. The young farmer pulled his girlfriend a little closer to his own body. "Just what I was thinking." He replied.

The rest of the day passed by without even the slightest of stirs from either of the two youths. They were happy just to be there, on their day off, together. Off behind Mother's Hill to the west, the sun was setting, casting a fiery red glow across the land. Elli and Jack watched the sun fall completely below the horizon before they stirred. Jack got up to his feet before helping Elli stand up as well. The young nurse smiled sweetly at Jack, "Care to walk me home?"

Jack chuckled lightly. "Of course, Elli. It would be a privilege to."

Hand in hand, the couple descended Mother's Hill, listening to the soft night cries of a lone wolf somewhere in the forest nearby. They walked below the hot springs, where the playful shouts of little children echoed through the night. "Come on, Stu! We're heading home!" Elli called out.

"Awwwww…" Jack smiled at Stu's complaint. Stu was Elli's younger brother, a troublesome little rascal if there ever was one. Jack and Stu got along so well that the little guy had once said that he wished he'd grow up like Jack. There are some things in life that are priceless, and that was one of them.

A loud splash sounded from the springs signaling that Stu was on his way. Sure enough, a minute later and Stu was hurrying down the stairs to join the waiting couple. Stu saw that Jack was with Elli and rushed to the older boy's side. "Hey, Jack! Can I stay for a few more minutes?"

"Ask your sister." Jack replied, knowing full well what Elli's response would be.

"Elli, can I stay…" Stu began, but Elli quickly cut him off. "Nope."

"But, I wanna!" Stu complained. Once again Elli shook her head with a "No."

Jack stepped in to offer Stu some encouragement. "What say you to going home to bed? Then in the morning you wake up early and come back here?"

"Ooohhh!" Jack's proposal had the child excited. Stu pointed towards town and ordered, "Home!"

The trio made their way across a little bridge and onto the farm that Jack's grandfather owned. All across the field were the beginnings of new crops for the Spring season. Inside the barn and chicken coop, the animals were sleeping peacefully, so Jack was forced to hold back Stu when the child wanted to go play with the chickens. They stopped in front of the door to the shack that served as housing for Jack and his grandfather. "Be seeing you tomorrow." Jack promised Elli, giving the girl a quick kiss goodbye.

"When you bring flowers?" Elli asked innocently.

Jack let out an amused chuckle as he shook his head. "I brought you flowers every day for three full seasons last year. Wasn't that enough to satisfy you?"

Elli acted hurt. "So you aren't bringing flowers? Then I might just have to give in to Tim's advances."

"Fine, I'll bring flowers. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Jack." Elli replied, accepting another parting kiss from Jack. With that, Elli took hold of Stu's hand and the two of them headed into town.

Jack stood there and watched them disappear into the darkness. Once they were out of sight, Jack stepped into the hack, where his grandfather was waiting. It was very obvious that Jack and his grandfather were related, judging from the nearly similar appearance despite the age difference. But today, Grandfather looked troubled. "What is it, Gramps?" Jack asked, a little worried.

Grandfather said nothing, merely sliding an envelope across the table to Jack's spot. Jack sat down, wondering what could possibly be so important that it couldn't be explained with words. Jack opened the envelope, his hands trembling as he unfolded the paper inside. The letter was very official in appearance, with seals and stamps marking the paper. Jack's voice trembled as he read the letter aloud.

_To the family of Jack Jackson the XVI,_

_I write to inform you of the untimely death of Jack Jackson the XVII, who, along with his wife Rikku Jackson, perished in a horrible accident on the Seventh of Winter, this year. I apologize for delivering this tragic news to you and your family. The people here in Forget-Me-Not Valley feel your pain and offer our deepest heartfelt sympathy._

_Upon notice of the death of Jack Jackson the XVII, I felt entitled to open his will and contact those who he left his worldly possessions to. It was at this point that I noticed that the late Jackson XVII had left his entire farm here in Forget-Me-Not Valley to his sole heir, his son, Jack Jackson the XVIII._

_I kindly ask for young Jack to come to Forget-Me-Not Valley to receive his inheritance and take over the family farm. I know that it is the wish of his father to have the family tradition be carried out, despite this unforeseen problem. I will be here, taking care of the farm until his arrival and will offer him support in his early years at the helm._

_Once again, I apologize for being the one to deliver this news and offer my heartfelt sympathy. Please contact me so that we may discuss the future of the Jackson family. Yours truly, Takakura._

Jack let the letter drop from his hands once he had finished reading. "Father…" Jack whimpered.

Grandfather finally spoke up. "I called Takakura earlier today and we agreed that you would go to Forget-Me-Not Valley to take over your father's farm. You leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Jack was too dumbstruck to understand anything that was being said.

Grandfather nodded. "I was just as upset over this as you are, but now is not the time to cry. The fate of our family depends on you carrying on the tradition of our farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Now, go get some rest. I packed your stuff for you to leave of the cross-ocean ferry that should depart here at noon tomorrow."

Jack's grandfather got up from his seat and left the room. Jack just sat in his chair, looking straight forward. He just couldn't believe what had just transpired. The young farmer reached into his rucksack and rummaged around for a few seconds, searching for something he had placed there a week ago. Finally his hand brushed against the desired object and Jack pulled his hand out to gaze at the object. The Blue Feather had lost almost its entire luster compared to a week earlier. So much for his plans for tomorrow.

(-)

Morning came around and Jack was still holding onto the Blue Feather, despite being asleep, when his grandfather came in for breakfast. Gramps gently shook his grandson awake. Jack growled low and menacingly at being awakened, his eyes narrowing in a cross expression. The evil look vanished just as quickly as it had appeared when a plate of steaming hot food appeared on the table before him. "Thanks Gramps!" Jack stated right before gorging himself on the food.

Grandfather waited patiently for Jack to finish eating before clearing his throat. Jack looked up expectantly to listen to his grandfather's wise words. But, Gramps had a simple request. He held up Jack's bag and pointed to the Blue Feather lying on the table. "Say goodbye to her."

Jack nodded in understanding, collecting the Blue Feather and his bag as he rushed out the door. Jack gently placed the feather into his new bag as he crossed the field. He had a promise to keep to Elli before he left. Jack ran up Mother's Hill to the field of flowers and began filling his old rucksack with the blossoms. From town, the church bells tolled ten, telling Jack that he had better hurry.

The farmer got up to his feet and made for town, but he had forgotten of the tree in the middle of the flower field. One stray branch managed to snag at his chest and neck, ripping his overalls and leaving a nasty cut on his neck. Without thinking, Jack ripped away the overall top, leaving what resembled a normal pair of jeans. Then, he removed the handkerchief that was tied around his neck, retying it as a sort of bandage across his neck. He tucked the stray end of the red cloth under his shirt so that it wouldn't blow up in his face when he ran through town.

Jack made record times running down the hill, across his farm, and through town. The bells now tolled eleven. Jack arrived at the Clinic, jolting through the door and up to the desk, where Elli looked surprised. "You must be psychic, Jack. I was just thinking that you would show up soon." Elli joked.

Jack heaved his old rucksack onto the desk, where the flowers spread out before Elli. "Wow… That's a lot of flowers. Are you making up for the Winter?" Elli smiled as she began collecting the flowers, placing them in a nearby vase.

"I don't know how to explain this, but I'll try…" Jack began.

Elli looked like she was ready to burst into tears. "I can't believe that you're dumping me after everything we've been through. Why?"

"No, no, no!" Jack exclaimed, "That's not what I'm here to tell you. I'm leaving Mineral Town today. My father, over in Forget-Me-Not Valley, passed away over the Winter. Turns out that I inherited his farm."

Jack was reaching into his new rucksack, his hand tightening around the Blue Feather. All he had to do was pull it out and ask Elli to marry him, right there, right now. But, for some odd reason, he didn't. He let go of the feather. Jack smiled weakly at the shocked Elli. He placed his hand against her cheek, letting a teardrop roll over his fingers. "I'll come back for you, I promise." He whispered gently.

Jack leaned in to kiss Elli goodbye for one last time, but she backed away from him. The confused farmer questioningly looked at his girlfriend, wondering why she didn't want to kiss him. Elli was hiding her face from Jack, trying not to let him see her cry. All she did was raise a finger pointed at the door and Jack understood. They were over.

His heart literally destroyed, Jack hung his head in despair. Jack let out a depressed sigh as he removed his hat from his head and placed it down on the desk. "Keep it as a memento of us." He whispered, quietly backing away from the table and towards the door.

"Jack, I'm sorry." Eli called out, but it was too late. She looked up to see the door slam shut behind Jack as he stormed out of the Clinic. Elli rushed to the door and burst outside. She looked in every direction, but Jack had vanished. The sound of a ferry whistle from the beach was enough to tell Elli that Jack was gone.

Elli choked back her tears as she headed back inside. She collapsed into the chair behind her desk and was almost going to start crying when her eyes fell on Jack's hat. Elli solemnly picked up the object and was surprised when something fell out of it and landed on the floor. Elli stretched over her desk to see what it was. There, lying at the foot of her desk was the Blue Feather.

(-)

_A/N: sniffle Well, I hope that you all liked this and have become touched by the tale. I know that I was when I wrote those last few paragraphs. Stay tuned for the next chapter_


	2. Requested Stab In The Heart

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 2: Requested Stab In The Heart

_A/N: In this chapter, I am going to be doing something that I have never done in a fic before. I am going to incorporate a song! I do to own "Don't Speak" By No Doubt, but that is the song that I am using. Also, I wish to pay my dues to the person who thought up of this idea. She just created an account here and her pen name is Michellie. I never would have thought of this without you, so here's your share of the applause. Once again, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter as much, if not more, than the first. They're only going to get better from here on in!_

_Song lyrics are italicized, but I'm not sure if the format will work for it. I'll spend some time trying to fix it if it doesn't work correctly._

(-)

The ocean didn't look quite as beautiful while one was out upon it during a heavy storm. A dark ominous sky overhead rained down upon the cruise ship as it made its way across the Pacific. Monstrous waves crashed against the side of the ship, almost forcing the mighty vessel to crumble under the force, but the ship held fast. Already the survivor of hundreds of storms like this one, one more wouldn't hurt the ship.

Despite the captain's orders for everyone to remain in their cabins during the storm, Jack was standing against the railing on the port side of the ship. The waves rose up, tempted to snatch the farmer from the cruise ship and plunge him into the turmoil of the ocean. Jack held fast, even though he was completely soaked, tired, and not right in the mind.

Ever since that fateful day that had now scarred his memory, Jack couldn't think about anything other than how sorry he felt. Elli had trusted him, loved him, for two years and Jack just cast her aside like a used toy. There was so much more that he could have done to stay with her, but he did nothing. He could have protested about following the family tradition, he could have asked Elli to go with him, but he did nothing. So, in a way, this is his punishment for his failure to save their relationship.

The sound of a metal door grating open broke Jack's trance-like concentration. The farmer looked over to see the captain peeking out from inside the ship. "Come on, lad! Get yourself inside!" The captain yelled, forcing his voice to rise above the crashing waves and howling wind.

"Sorry captain, but I will stay here. The storm's going to die down soon." Jack stated.

The captain took a look up into the storm clouds overhead. "Aye, you might be right about that. Just take care not to be swept overboard!" The door was slammed shut just in time to refuse admittance to the wave that slammed against the ship. Jack merely smiled as he stood strong against the forces of nature. This was just a test from his ally to see if he was ready to handle his own farm. Jack was determined to do his best and not make the same mistakes that he had in Mineral Town.

The storm lasted for about another hour, unleashing massive strikes against the vessel, trying to send the ship down to Davy Jones' Locker. The cruise ship remained intact, forcing its way forward against the opposing winds and water. A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, illuminating the ship amid the black waters. Soon, the rest of the ocean was brightened up as the sun completely broke through the storm.

Jack still held onto the railing, letting the warmth of the sun dry his soaked clothing. He had survived the test, even if it wasn't intentional. A tiny smile broke the corners of his mouth, as pride for his accomplishment rose. The smile quickly faded as the captain's voice echoed over the ship's intercom, "Sorry about the weather everyone, but we have clear sailing from here on out. We now are going to reconnect with our radio sponsor, WWRS, World Wide Radio Station. Enjoy the music and the remainder of your cruise, everyone."

The radio quickly kicked in, picking up some pointless DJ banter. Jack ignored the noise pollution, choosing instead to sit down in one of the bolted down deck chairs. His mind was still screaming at his stupidity for letting go of Elli. "I can't go and change the past." He told himself, just as a vacationing family passed by. The family looked at Jack, wondering if they were the ones that he had spoken to. "It's one of those crazy emotionally wrecked people." The mother whispered as the family decided it was best to leave Jack alone.

More vacationers were pouring out of the interior of the ship, gladly welcoming the return of the sun. Now, Jack liked people, to a certain extent. Although he was a friendly guy, there was a limit to how much social interaction he could handle. Today, it seemed like everyone who walked past him wanted to strike up a conversation with him. After a while, it started to get on Jack's nerves. He was tempted to get up and head to his cabin, but then he saw her.

She appeared to be about Jack's age, with beautiful red hair and piercing green eyes. She wore a pair of white shorts and an orange shirt topped with a purple vest. Her face was conveying deep intellectual thought while showing a rather removed expression, almost like she was not totally present, mentally that is. The girl was looking out at the ocean, ignoring everyone who passed by her.

One of the crewmembers was walking in the other direction, looking for people to help. The crewman spotted the redhead and stepped up beside her. "Is their anything that I can help you find?" The crewman asked with a friendly smile.

The girl turned to the crewman, regarding the man with a cold stare, causing him to shudder under the gaze. "Unless you can find where I belong, then no." The girl stated coldly, continuing forward. The crewman was left standing there, completely confused as to what she meant by her words.

Jack was intrigued with this new girl. She obviously had some emotional issues at hand, but the same could be said for him as well. There was no arguing that she was extremely beautiful, so maybe he should make a move on her. It wasn't like he was tied down to a girl… any more. The mysterious girl sat down in a deck chair, not far from where Jack was sitting. This was the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation.

Just as he began to rise up out of his chair, something being said on the radio caught his attention. One of the DJ's was talking, "We're opening up the request lines! Hello, caller, what is your name and where are you from in this wonderful world we live in?"

The person on the other end of the line sounded as if she had just finished crying. She sniffled lightly before speaking, "Hello, my name is Elli and I'm from Mineral Town." Just the sound of her voice was causing his heart to ache with the pain that he had been feeling. Jack sunk back down into his chair.

"And what seems to be upsetting you?" The DJ prodded, knowing that a crying girl always attracted people's attention.

Jack looked around nervously to see how many people were listening in to the radio. It appeared that everyone in sight had stopped what they were doing and were listening in. "Wasn't Mineral Town the place we stopped in a few days ago?" Somebody asked a neighbor.

Elli sniffled again. "My boyfriend left me a few days ago and I found out that he was planning to propose to me that day. Instead he left town and is heading across the ocean as we speak."

"Well, Elli, we here at WWRS are touched by your story, but we have good news for you. Not only do you get to request a song today, but you also get a chance to say something to your loser ex-boyfriend, as we are the only station that is broadcast on all cruise ships across the world!" The DJ announced and Jack was wishing that he had been washed away by the waves.

"Thanks guys!" Elli sounded as if she had just been given an injection of happiness. "Jack, I loved you more than I could ever love anything and you went and broke my heart. I wish there was something that I could say to get you back, but I know that it's pointless to try. So, here's a song that expresses my feelings for you. I request 'Don't Speak' by No Doubt, and I dedicate it to Jack."

"You've got it, Elli. We hope that you find someone else. As for Jack, you should be ashamed of what you did to such a sweet girl. I hope that this song makes you regret what you did!"

_You and me  
We used to be together  
Everyday together always  
I really feel  
That I'm losing my best friend  
I can't believe  
This could be the end  
It looks as though you're letting go  
And if it's real  
Well I don't want to know_

Jack knew the song well enough. It was Elli's favourite song and she always sang along to it on the radio. Now the pain of loss and breaking up was being directed at him. Even worse, the redhead was singing along to the song as if she felt the same way as Elli. Now would definitely not be the time to approach her. "Elli, I'm sorry." He whispered as the song continued.

_Don't speak  
I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining   
Don't tell me cause it hurts  
Don't speak  
I know what you're thinking  
I don't need your reasons  
Don't tell me cause it hurts_

_Our memories  
Well, they can be inviting  
But some are altogether   
Mighty frightening  
As we die, both you and I  
With my head in my hands  
I sit and cry_

"Poor girl. What kind of family tradition is more important than love?" A passer-by asked. Jack felt like answering the woman, but decided against it. This was a situation where everything was going against him and nothing he could say would change it. "I went to take over my deceased father's farm." Hah! Like that would do anything to help him. The more he thought of it, the more he realized how stupid it must have sounded to Elli when he had told her.

_Don't speak  
I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining  
Don't tell me cause it hurts (no, no, no)  
Don't speak  
I know what you're thinking  
I don't need your reasons   
Don't tell me cause it hurts_

It's all ending  
I gotta stop pretending who we are...  
You and me I can see us dying...are we? 

Their relationship had been perfect, but still it crumbled because of his decision. They were over, so yes, they were dying. Look, he already felt bad enough with just the knowledge of his decision, but having it shoved in his face was just too much. Jack got up out of his seat and quickly made his was inside. The music still carried over the intercoms, haunting him as he made his way to his cabin.__

Don't speak  
I know just what you're saying  
So please stop explaining  
Don't tell me cause it hurts (no, no, no)  
Don't speak  
I know what you're thinking  
I don't need your reasons  
Don't tell me cause it hurts  
Don't tell me cause it hurts!  
I know what you're saying  
So please stop explaining  


He couldn't have explained it to her any better. She knew very well that his family were farmers, first and foremost. She should have known that his primary loyalties were to his family. Jack reached his cabin, ducked inside and slammed the door behind him. There was an intercom in his room and the depressing music echoed through his room.

_  
Don't speak,  
don't speak,  
don't speak,  
oh I know what you're thinking  
And I don't need your reasons  
I know you're good,  
I know you're good,  
I know you're real good  
Oh, la la la la la la La la la la la la  
Don't, Don't, uh-huh Hush, hush darlin'  
Hush, hush darlin' Hush, hush  
don't tell me tell me cause it hurts  
Hush, hush darlin' Hush, hush darlin'  
Hush, hush don't tell me tell me cause it hurts_

"I know that it hurts! It hurt me just as much as it hurt you!" Jack screamed as the song came to an end. He had buried his head into his pillow to soak up the tears that had reached his eyes. He still had feelings for Elli, but she was the one who ended their relationship, not him! He had offered to come back for her, but she had kicked him out of the clinic. It was all her fault that she was feeling the way she did!

The DJ's came back on the air waves. "Wow, we've been getting a ton of calls requesting for more songs that would make Jack feel bad. So, we decided that we are dedicating the remainder of the day to making Jack feel remorse. Starting with 'She Hates Me', then "She Loves Me Not", then 'Misery', then…"

(-)

The cruise ship was finally reaching its destination. The night was bustling with activities as the boat unloaded. The radio was still going on with the make Jack feel bad event, now on its third day. From the harbour, Jack would have to catch a smaller vessel to take him to Forget-Me-Not Valley, which was quite a way further up along the coast. Surely, a small town, similar to Mineral Town, wouldn't be receiving radio signals.

Jack located the transport that would take him to Forget-Me-Not Valley. Much to his surprise, the gorgeous redhead was already seated in the boat. "You must be Jack, I assume." The owner of the vessel acknowledged.

Jack nodded his head regretfully, soon receiving a glare from the girl. She hadn't forgotten what was said over the radio. Jack gulped nervously as he took a seat across from the girl. "So, Forget-Me-Not Valley is where you think you belong, is it?" Jack inquired.

The girl hung her head, shaking it lightly. "I don't know where I belong. This is just somewhere that looked nice."

The owner of the vessel climbed into the pilot's seat and started up the motor. The vessel silently slipped away from the dock and out to open waters before turning north. "Well, you know that me name is Jack. What's yours?" Jack asked.

"Nami." The girl whispered, just loud enough to be heard over the spray of water as the boat cut through the air.

Jack smiled, "Nami. That's a pretty name for a pretty girl."

"Do not try to flirt with me. I am not looking for someone to love, especially not someone who would probably leave me at the first chance he gets." Nami quickly cut off Jack's advances.

"Look, I had to leave Elli because my father died and I'm taking over his farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley. I didn't have a choice in the matter. If it was up to me, I would have stayed there with Elli, but I didn't get to choose." Jack stated, angered that this girl who was practically a stranger was already passing judgement on him.

Nami shrugged her shoulders, "You don't have to explain yourself to me. I do not care about your personal issues."

The remainder of the boat ride passed in silence. Nami and Jack ignored each other, much to the discomfort of the boat's owner. The man tried to strike up conversations with both of his passengers, but neither replied to him. The only sounds that could be heard on the boat were the splashes of the boat as it bounced across the waves.

At last, the boat reached its destination. An empty stretch of beach, with the town sprouting up behind it. The sun was just coming up back across the ocean, casting the town into a beautiful glow. "It's no Mineral Town, but it'll do." Jack grumbled as he jumped out of the boat and onto the sands.

Jack turned back to the boat and offered Nami a helping hand down. The girl gave Jack a sceptical look, trying to figure out what his intentions truly were. "I'm just proving that I'm not a complete jerk." Jack stated as Nami's feet touched ground.

"Well, enjoy yourselves here, kids. I'm heading back to the dock." The owner of the boat claimed as he headed off to sea.

Nami quickly released Jack's hand and started climbing the hill into town. "Where are you going?" Jack asked, following after Nami. The town was still sleeping, so nobody was awake to assist them. Nami pointed up to one of the larger buildings in the town, "That's probably the Inn. I will be getting a room there. As for you, don't you have some work you should be doing?"

(-)

_A/N: I'm not sure if I've gotten Nami's character correctly portrayed, as I've never had her in a story of mine before. So, if someone could give me some pointers on this matter. Other than that, thanks for reading and please review._


	3. Touring A Wonderful Life

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 3: Touring A Wonderful Life

_A/N: There was something said at Mage's funeral on Monday that told me what the future would bring me. "She touched each and every one of us in ways that nobody would be able to do again. Now that she has left us, we have to remember her touch and continue with her heart next to our own. That is the way that she would want it." So, I'm back, still heavy hearted, but I am doing this for her. It is what she would have wanted._

(-)

Nami had been right about Jack needing to get to work. After stumbling through the darkness of the early morning, Jack managed to locate what he assumed was his father's farm. The fields were completely barren, looking as if they had yet to be touched since the snow of winter melted away. One field was completely overgrown with grass, or maybe that was supposed to be a pasture? There wasn't even a pond to place fish in. Jack wasn't sure about anything; it just looked so completely different than Gramps' farm back in Mineral Town.

Jack's little self provided tour of the grounds led him to discovering the existence of one healthy cow. "So you are all that's left of my father's work?" Jack stated, rather to himself than to the cow. It would just be crazy to talk to cows. Like they understand what you're saying. But, it would help pass by the countless hours spent alone on the farm.

Jack was kneeling down beside the grown cow, wondering exactly how she had managed to survive with nobody taking care of her. It even looked as if somebody had milked her already today. "Now, how did that happen?" Jack thought out loud, realizing that he had just broken his resolution not to speak with the animals. He gave it a week, max, before he went insane.

"I was the one who milked Ol' Betsy." A gruff voice announced. Jack jumped at the sound of the voice, clearly not expecting to have company. The young farmer turned to face the newcomer. Standing at the door of the barn was a hunched over elderly man who resembled the trainer from the Rocky series of movies. He even wore the same grumpy expression on his face. "You must be Jack, I presume." The hunchback declared, holding out a dirt covered hand towards Jack.

Jack hesitantly shook the stranger's hand, wondering who it could possibly be that was intruding on his new property. "Yup, that's me." Suddenly, it hit him. "Oh! You must be the guy father hired to replace me when I moved to Mineral Town! Takakura, wasn't it? Pleasure to finally meet you."

A tiny crack of a smile emerged through the cover of wrinkles. Takakura placed a warm hand on Jack's shoulder, guiding him out of the barn. "Your father told me so much about you. I already feel as if I know you."

Jack blushed slightly from embarrassment, nervously scratching his head as he smiled jokingly. He wasn't used to getting praise from complete strangers. "So, my father told you about all of the good times, eh?"

"No, he told me how much of a pain you were as a kid." Takakura deadpanned, wiping the grin of Jack's face. The elderly man wasted to time in getting straight to business. "I see that you took the liberty of giving yourself a tour of the grounds. All that remains is to show you the tool shed and your house. There are some seeds in the tool shed that'll help start you off." Takakura pointed to the two buildings as he stated their purposes.

"Anything else that I should know before I get started?" Jack asked, shoving his hands into his pockets. Working on a farm by himself wouldn't be nearly as hard as he had thought.

Takakura looked at the surrounding area and shook his head. "Nope, that's everything for the farm. I'll take you to meet the villagers in a few hours. It's too early for most of them to be awake."

Jack nodded his head in understanding. He probably should have been tired, but his body was used to this time. But, that was across the ocean where his biological clock was set to the local time. It was the complete opposite here compared to what he was used to. Night was day and vice versa. In a few days, he might have slept in enough to reprogram himself to wake up at decent times. But at the moment, he was wide awake.

Takakura had already vanished off towards the far offs hills, leaving Jack alone o figure out how to work. Jack headed towards the tool shed, taking his assistant's advice. He easily located the heavy tools that were left over as well as the few packs of seeds left behind. "Wow, two bags of tomato seeds. This will help me so much." Jack murmured sarcastically as he loaded the items into his rucksack.

Now, Jack understood some things about soil conditions, so he figured out that the field furthest away from the house was the best spot to plant the seeds. Jack hauled out his gardening hoe and tilled up two three by three squares not far apart from each other. He stood in the center of one of the squares, reaching his hand into one of the bags. The farmer proceeded to toss the seeds into the air, just as he had done when he had helped back in Mineral Town. This process was repeated with the second square.

You could imagine his surprise and confusion when he stepped off the field and turned around to look at his handiwork. "What the…" Jack cursed when he looked at the two nearly empty squares that he had tilled up. Only the central squares had seeds planted. "Looks like the seed bags here only hold enough for one plot. Stupid seeds."

Jack stood there, wondering what he should do with the empty plots. A tiny little plant near the field caught Jack's eye, drawing the farmer over. "Some sort of herb." Jack thought, adding the tiny herb to his rucksack. "Maybe I'll find some sort of book that tells me what it is inside the house." On the way over to the small building that served as a house, Jack located another one of the strange plants.

A pair of high pitched barks forced Jack to stop and turn around. A pair of young puppies were following closely behind the farmer. "Hey there, pups." Jack welcomed warmly. The dogs barked in reply. "Are you guys strays or are you part of the farm?" Once again, the puppies barked in unison.

The farmer considered the two dogs, wondering what he should do with the duo. They looked fairly similar except one was a bit paler, with pointed ears and was wearing a red bandana around his neck. "I think I'll keep both of you. Welcome to the family, A and B." We'll just say that Jack wasn't the greatest at thinking about names for his pets. The darks barked again, apparently agreeing to their new names and new home.

Jack left the dogs to explore their new home as he entered his. The building was furnished rather lavishly, with more than enough stuff to keep Jack happy. He was instantly drawn to the television, but decided against turning on the brain drain device. There was also an old record player, which had been modified into a radio. Jack turned on the radio and a familiar voice boomed over the airwaves. "Now, we've had a few callers say that what we are doing to Jack is unfair, so we shall quit our programming. But, first we have one more song dedicated to him."

Once again, the haunting sounds of that song that Elli had dedicated to Jack came floating out of the speakers. "Stupid radio with stupid songs." Jack cursed as he switched off the device.

Besides, books were much more appealing to Jack than music. There was a large bookcase, stuffed full of various texts. Jack made his way over to the case, scanning the titles. He located a book entitled "Plants of Forget-Me-Not Valley". It looked very similar to the novels written by Basil back in Mineral Town. Jack opened up the book, flipping thru the pages to find a picture matching the plant that he found.

After several minutes of distraction caused by the dogs outside, Jack finally located the correct page, which happened to be the second page. "Healing herb which alleviates hunger when eaten. Found in spring all around the Valley. Can be sold for a tiny amount of money. Money! To the shipping bin we go!" Jack announced purposely heading outside.

Takakura was back, obviously none too pleased with the fact that there were two new dogs as part of the farm. Jack approached the withered man and calmly asked, "Where's the shipping bin?"

A rusty laugh escaped the mouth of Takakura. "Shipping bin! We don't have any of those around here. Everything we produce is sold in town, or at the market."

"So I have to hold onto everything I find around here? That's stupid." Jack scoffed.

"That's right." Takakura nodded his head in agreement. One of the puppies was barking madly at Takakura's heels. The elderly man was trying his hardest to ignore the annoying creature, but he wasn't doing to well.

"I take it you don't like dogs." Jack joked.

Takakura grunted slightly. "No, I like dogs; just not puppies. They bark too much. On another subject, how about I introduce you to the people around town now?"

Jack nodded his head in agreement. The idea seemed like a good idea. Jack needed to find some new friends and having someone introduce him to the villagers would be really helpful. Takakura motioned for Jack to follow him as he walked towards the exit of the farm.

The first place that Jack and Takakura stopped at was a place called Inner Inn. It was the same building that Nami had headed towards when they arrived in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Jack wondered if Nami was still hanging around the building, wanting to strike up another conversation with the red-headed girl. There was something about Nami that had Jack intrigued.

Takakura introduced Jack to the friendly couple who ran the Inn, Tim and Ruby. Jack didn't really pay much attention to the introductions, instead looking up at the window on the second floor. The window was open and Jack could see Nami moving about on the inside. "So Jack, what are you interested in?" Ruby was asking.

"Huh? Oh, ah… uhm, yeah." Jack fumbled, his mind clearly distracted by the sight of the beautiful girl. Takakura followed Jack's gaze, also noticing Nami and smiled a bit. This was working perfectly for following the tradition. Master Jack already had a crush on one of the girls. Takakura stepped in for Jack, asking about the girl for him, "I hear that a new girl is visiting Forget-Me-Not Valley and is staying at your Inn."

Tim nodded his head in response, "She came by earlier this morning. Didn't say much to us, just that she wanted a room and her name was Nami. Don't even know how long she's going to be staying here."

It was at that exact moment that Nami was exiting the Inn. Instantly clueing in to the fact that the conversation was about her, she decided that it would be best if she tried to sneak away. But, Jack had caught sight of her. "Hey, Nami…" He began, only to be quickly silenced by Nami. "You talk too much." She stated coolly, heading off towards the other buildings in town.

Takakura shook his head, suddenly realizing that his early assumption as to the possible relationship between Jack and Nami was going to be much harder to achieve than one with one of the other girls. He bid farewell to Tim and Ruby, pulling Jack with him as they walked over to the next building. There, Jack was introduced to Griffin and Muffy, a very attractive blond, who didn't hesitate to take the opportunity to flirt with the young farmer.

Unfortunately, Jack didn't seem to take the same interest in Muffy as he did with Nami. He made polite conversation with the seductress, but did not falter under the flirtatious eyelash flutters that Muffy gave him. Takakura noticed the lack of attraction between the pair, coming mostly from Jack though, so he decided to end the conversation for them.

After introducing a few of the other villagers, Takakura led Jack to the other farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Surely Jack would find a compatible match in a fellow farmer. Takakura knew that Vesta, the owner of the farm, was trying her hardest to find someone for Celia to marry. He also knew that Celia was looking for honest, hard working guys, so Jack met her standards fairly well.

Once again, Jack didn't seem interested. There was a greater level of compatibility between these two youths, but it didn't quite match what was there between Jack and Nami. Jack was going to be for a hard future if he was going to successfully court Nami.

Takakura's fears were worsened considerably when he witnessed Jack's action later on in the day. The young farmer, once finished with his farm work, had gone off to collect flowers. Takakura watched as Jack searched through the village for Nami, finally locating the redhead near the little pond. Jack presented the flower to Nami, who considered the gift with a strange look before refusing to accept it.

Jack stumbled back up to the farm, obviously shocked that his gift had been shot down. "I'm in trouble." He admitted, "The only thing I've ever given girls is flowers, and Nami hates them."

(-)

_A/N: Although I am back, I'm not sure if I'm totally back. I felt really off writing this chapter, mostly because it was the result of five or six sittings, each one only committing a few hundred words. Every time I sat down to write, I thought about her. I know that this is what she wants me to do, but I just can't do it right now. I'll keep trying until I return to my true form. At least one good thing has arisen from all of this. I've got a new signature that will mark the end of every chapter I submit on this site. Here it is. Dedicated to the loving memory of Mage._


	4. First Kiss

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 4: First Kiss

_A/N: Dedicated to the loving memory of Mage. Let's see, what do I have to say? I'm actually going to address a concern from one of the reviews. Somebody said that the way I described Jack planting seeds in the previous chapter was unrealistic. Hey, play Back to Nature, then you'll get the reference. Oh, another thing. I believe that since Nami is one of those people who are relatively silent in public, she probably talks a lot in private. Well, enjoy!_

(-)

"I honestly don't know what to do." Jack complained, his head slumping against the bar. The bartender, Griffin, had become one of Jack's best friends here in Forget-Me-Not Valley. Part of the friendship involved forcing Griffin to listen to Jack as he complained about every aspect of his life that wasn't going perfect. "I have to buy a bag of seeds for every square I want to plant of a crop! I have to milk the cows twice a day! The dogs attacked some little midgets who claimed to be Harvest Sprites! Hah! I know Harvest Sprites and these guys are nothing like the ones back home!" After the first two days of this, Griffin had come to expect crazed stories from the new farmer.

Tonight was the third of Spring and this time Jack was complaining about how impossible Nami was to give gifts to. "First off, she hates flowers! What kind of girl hates flowers?" Jack demanded, lifting his head from off the counter.

"I like flowers, Jack." Muffy whispered into Jack's ear. Jack took the hint and pulled a flower out of his rucksack and passed it to Muffy. "Thank you, Jack."

Griffin thought carefully as to the matter. He had two reasons to do so. Foremost, he had no clue what to say to Jack. Secondly, the longer he remained silent, the more Muffy flirted with Jack. Griffin had high hopes for Jack and Muffy, even despite the resent that Jack showed towards Muffy. Jack liked Muffy just about as much as a cow likes to be pushed at midnight. The bandage across Jack's stomach was proof of his cow's short temper.

"I remember Nami saying something about liking fossils." Griffin stated, matter-of-factly. He hadn't heard this directly from Nami, of course. In fact, he hadn't heard Nami say a single word since she arrived in Mineral Town. This little tidbit of information had been passed along by Rock, who occupied the second room on the top floor of the Inner Inn.

Jack scoffed at the notion. "Yeah, right. What kind of a girl would like a dirty old fossil?"

"The kind of girl who hates flowers." Griffin retaliated, almost before Jack had finished his question.

Jack fell quiet. What Griffin had just said made perfect sense to him. He knew that Nami was a world traveler who was interested in history. He had learned so much upon gaining admittance into her room one morning. Jack hadn't been in there long before Nami kicked him out, but he had enough time to see all of the objects from different regions and time periods. So, it could be possible that Nami was the kind of girl who liked fossils as gifts.

"Thanks for the advice Griffin. I'll go home and see if I left any of my fossils on the shelf." Jack smiled politely as he attempted to rise up out of his seat. A pair of hands pulled him back down, and shortly after, Muffy's head was resting on Jack's shoulder. "Do you have to go so soon, Jack? We haven't had time to talk yet." Muffy whispered innocently giving Jack the puppy-dog eyes.

Jack gently removed Muffy's hands and made to get out of his seat again. "I'm sorry, but it's getting late Muffy. Maybe tomorrow." Muffy lunged forward to pull Jack towards her again, but the farmer was out of reach. She found herself slipping out of her chair, twisting violently to get back up and regain her balance. It was too late. Muffy fell out of her chair, issuing a frightened screech as she fell.

She never hit the ground, though. A strong arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her mere inches off the floor. "You ok, Muffy?" Jack asked, his face mere inches away from Muffy's. Muffy blushed, realizing how foolish she must have looked. She had locked her arms around Jack's neck, more to be close than for the additional security. It was one of those awkward romance scenes when you know that the pair should kiss, but somebody always walks in on them. Muffy didn't care if somebody interrupted her, she planted a quick kiss on a shocked Jack.

"Hmph!" Somebody turned on their heels and walked right out of the Blue Bar.

Jack's eyes darted to the door just in time to see Nami's red hair disappear as the door slammed shut. "Nami, it's not what it…" He tried to say, but Nami was long gone. Jack let go of Muffy, letting the blond temptress fall to the ground. Jack was on his feet, halfway between the door and Muffy on the ground. The obviously flustered farmer looked back and forth between the girl he had just kissed and the direction the girl he loved had gone off in. His eyes rested halfway, looking at Griffin. "I think I need a drink."

(-)

Nami had ran off down to the beach, which was basked in the glow of the moon. She was furious beyond belief and she didn't know why. Sure, Jack had kissed Muffy, but why did that bother her so much? It wasn't like she was interested in him or anything, was she? "No, that isn't possible." Nami quickly told herself. Jack wasn't her type, but still she was upset that he was getting involved with somebody else.

"What's with me? This shouldn't be happening." Nami was pacing along the sands, looking out at the ocean. She had traveled all over the world and never once had she reacted like this when a guy she liked chose somebody else. Wait… Did she just say that she liked Jack? Her actions were betraying her true emotions, thrusting them out into the open for everyone to see. This wasn't like her normal, cool and collected self.

"He's not the one for you." Nami kept telling herself. "He talks too much and he shows his emotions too much for a man. But then again, he is so kind and polite. And he's hard working and determined. I've pushed him away at least half a dozen times and he keeps coming back for more." The more she thought about it, the more she was beginning to realize that she might be in love with Jack.

Nami stopped her facing and turned towards the ocean. She was thinking about her lifestyle, traveling the world, visiting small towns like this for a season and leaving. Maybe she could settle down in one place for a while… The thought had never crossed her mind her entire life up until this point. Now, she was actually thinking about staying in one spot.

Nami giggled slightly as another thought crossed her mind. Another emotion that she never showed, happiness, was breaking through. "Mr. and Mrs. Jack. Jack and Nami. Nami and Jack. Jack, Nami and Family… Family… Oh, my god… I can't believe that I actually just thought about having kids with Jack!" Nami felt herself blushing, another first in a very, very long time.

"But, what if he doesn't feel the same? What are you saying, Nami! Of course he likes you!" Nami was overjoyed by the way she was feeling. "So this is how love feels like." She whispered as she hugged herself with joy.

"Nami…" Jack's voice snapped Nami back to reality. She instantly slipped back into her normal, quiet self as she listened to Jack's footsteps cautiously approach her. The farmer stopped a few steps behind Nami, letting out a worried sigh as he did so. "I don't know what to say. Back there, at the Bar, was entirely accidental. Muffy fell out of her chair and I caught her. She surprised me with the kiss and that's where you came in. I just want you to know that I don't feel the same way about her as she does towards me."

The apology and explanation caused Nami to breathe a sigh of relief. Jack didn't see the exhale, continuing on, "Look, I'm not sure if you feel the same way as I do, but I'm going to let you know something. I just haven't been able to find a way to express this until now. Trust me, I've been trying to but you are just so hard to have a conversation with. Nami, even though we just recently met, I feel like you are perfect for me."

Nami turned, very slowly, to face Jack. The farmer had his head tilted away from Nami, his eyes directed to the ground. She took a hesitant step towards Jack, the sand giving way under her feet. Jack kept speaking, not realizing that Nami was approaching him. "You already know about Elli. You are the one who filled that void that she left when we broke apart. I realize now that I was making a mistake with her. You are so much better than she ever could be."

Jack was saying all the right things. Nami was hardly thinking about the words that Jack was saying, being drawn in by the romantic speech that Jack was giving. There was a tiny warning light in the back of Nami's mind that told her that Jack was just saying these things. She knew that he was one of those guys who would flirt with any girl, but right now, Jack was aiming at her. That was what made her forget about the warnings that her brain screamed at her.

Nami was barely a foot away from Jack and still, the farmer did not know that she was even looking at him. Jack was still trying to find the correct words to say. He was obviously having a tiny bit of trouble with getting to the "l" word. Guys were not the best at saying love in a sentence directed towards a girl. "Nami, I… I… I love you." He said it, he actually said love!

Jack kept his head hung low, silently praying that Nami would actually say something to him instead of leaving him with this awkward silence. Nami reached out with her hand, tucking it underneath of Jack's chin, lifting his head to face hers. The two of them locked eyes, light sapphire staring into twin auburn pools. Jack's eyes were full of surprise, but that quickly vanished when he understood what Nami was doing. "I love you too, Jack."

A smile crossed Jack's lips as he placed his hands on Nami's shoulders. Nami felt her heart racing as she felt Jack's breath on her neck as he pulled her against his chest. Her eyes drifted shut, her head tilting up towards his. At first only a light touch, their lips soon found each other, gladly melting together in a passionate greeting. Jack's hand ran up Nami's cheek, gently caressing her face. "I'm definitely staying here." Nami thought blissfully.

(-)

Meanwhile, a pair of tiny feet were rushing up the path on the side of the stream closest to Jack's farm. The tiny Harvest Sprite was having difficulty running in his oversized blue outfit. His feet kept catching on the tunic and he fell repeatedly. He didn't care much for falling down, his news so much more important that injury, "They won't believe it!" He told himself, picking himself up off the ground once more.

He finally got up to the tiny clearing beside the waterfall. There were the fancy blue plants that glowed during the nighttime, illuminating the path up to the large tree that served as his home. Out front of the building were the two other Harvest Sprites, one dressed in red, the other in yellow. They were busy chasing after a rather large blue bird that easily dwarfed the Sprites.

"Guess what! Guess what!" Nic shouted out to his fellow Sprites.

Flak, the yellow Sprite stopped his pursuit of the bird to catch his breath. He was a tad overweight, so the excuse to rest was gladly taken. "What?"

"What?" Nak, the red Sprite repeated, also stopping with the torment of the bird. The blue feathered creature took off into the air, leaving behind a single one of its feathers.

"Jack." Nic simply stated.

"The other Harvest Sprite?" Flak asked.

"The Harvest Sprite named Jack?" Nak added.

Nic nodded his head, agreeing with the other two Sprites. "Nami."

"Nami?" The other Sprites echoed in unison.

"Uh-huh!" Nic smiled.

"Together?" Nak inquired in disbelief.

"Uh-huh!" Nic repeated with a growing smile.

"They are together?" Flak asked, repeating Nak's question.

"They kissed." Nic stated.

"Blue Feather!" Flak shouted.

Nak shook his head. "Too early."

"When?" Nic demanded.

"Summer." Nak smiled, picking up the blue feather and rushing inside the tree with the prize in hand.

"Not fair, I saw it first!" Flak complained, chasing after Nak.

"Wait for me!" Nic added as he joined the chase.

(-)

_A/N: God, that Harvest Sprite section was painful to write. The other sections I think I did beautifully. Hope you enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed writing them (except the Sprite section, enjoy that at my expense)._


	5. Wanting to Talk

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 5: Wanting to Talk

_A/N: Dedicated to the loving memory of Mage. I'm sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter done. I was working on starting another fic, but it turned out that it wouldn't work. I've been working almost every day this week, at hours that leave me with little sleep during night hours. But, I finally managed to scrap together this chapter through many sittings._

_In the last chapter, Jack and Nami had their first kiss. Where will their relationship go next? Will it continue on its fast pace or will they hit rough waters? Find out now. _

(-)

"I tell you guys, girls just don't make any sense. You tell one that you love them and they say it back to you, but then they don't talk to you for the next three days. It's almost like she's avoiding me." Jack stated, staring up into the clouds. Jack was lying on his back in the middle of the pasture, amidst the tall grass. On either side of him were A and B, both happy to have the chance to be near their master.

Takakura had already yelled at the young farmer once, telling Jack to get back to work. "What work is there?" Jack asked back, knowing full well that he had done nearly everything possible today. The chance to actually get in some time to do some relaxing was a very rare occasion on any farm, so Jack relished these few late afternoon hours. He had already milked the cow twice, watered the crops once, fed the two chickens, helped in the dig, talked to all the villagers, attempted to talk to Nami, and purchased his summer-fall seeds from Celia. There was honestly nothing else that could be done, due to the weather forecast stating that rain would hit the Valley in the next hour or so.

Ever since that fateful night, hen he and Nami had kissed under the moonlight, Jack had been trying to talk to Nami. Every time that he checked at the Inner Inn, Tim or Ruby would simply say that Nami was out. Jack would then go around the entire Valley, searching for Nami in her usual hangouts. No matter where Jack looked, he couldn't find Nami anywhere. He had come to the conclusion that Nami was just hiding in her room, telling Ruby and Tim to tell Jack that she was out.

"Maybe, things went a little fast for her. After all, we had only known each other for about five days before our kiss. But still, that's no reason to hide from me." Jack thought aloud. "I can understand being a little shy or something like that, but still…"

Jack found himself humming a tune that he had learned back home. It was actually on one of his trips to visit his Grandpa when he had learned the song. He had been so young at the time, but the song stuck in his head ever since. One time, after he had became an apprentice under his grandfather, he and Elli had gone fishing together. Jack whistled the song to himself to pass the time, soon finding Elli joining in with him. "My aunt taught me that song a long time ago." Elli had explained with a little laugh when Jack asked how she had known the tune.

Jack thought back to the first time that he and Elli had kissed. Elli walked out of her house, already dressed in her Goddess Costume, ready for the festival, only to run into Jack. The farmer was waiting outside her door, a bouquet of spring flowers in his hand. "May I ask for the honor of escorting the Lady to the festival?" Jack had asked, trying his best to sound noble.

Elli had flashed that smile, the same one that Jack saw first when he woke up in the hospital, beginning their friendship. "The Lady accepts the Knight's offer." She held out her hand to Jack, who gladly took hold. "Are those for me?" Elli asked, pointing towards the bouquet.

"Oh, yeah." Jack blushed awkwardly as he passed the flowers over to Elli. Elli smiled again, enjoying this humble side of her friend. As they walked hand in hand to Rose Square, Elli began to realize that she had feelings for Jack that were stronger than those that you would have for a friend. Her hand fit so perfectly in his, almost like they were meant to be one. She had looked over at Jack, admiring how his rugged-boyish features appeared so handsome. She had always thought of Jack as good looking, but never in the same way as she was now. "Jack… after the festival… can we go somewhere?" She had asked when they had entered the Square.

Jack nodded his head in agreement, letting Elli's hand slip out of his. "Have fun." He wished, as Elli headed off to join the other girls. All of the other girls had smirks on their faces. "What!" Elli demanded, but the other girls just giggled. "We were wondering how long it would be until you and Jack hooked up." Popuri tittered. So, it had been obvious to everybody else, almost as if they had been waiting for the inevitable.

After the festival was over and everybody had gone home, Elli found herself alone with Jack. "Can we go to the lake?" Elli whispered, finding herself drawing closer to Jack. "Sure thing." Jack whispered back, placing an arm around the girl's waist.

Jack led Elli up Mother's Hill, to the spot that she had requested. The pair stood at the edge of the water, looking out across the moonlit lake. Elli took at seat on the grass and let out a sigh. "When I was young, Dad would escort Mom to the festival. After that, we would come here… It brings back memories…"

A sob escaped Elli's lips, catching Jack off guard. He had been expecting her to tell some happy story, but now she was on the verge of crying. "What's wrong?" Jack placed a hand on Elli's shoulder, kneeling down at her side.

"I… I just miss them…" Elli choked out. Elli had never told Jack much about her parents, choosing to remain silent on the subject whenever somebody brought it up. Jack had learned from the other villagers about the unfortunate accident that claimed the lives of both parents. Jack decided not to be intrusive, deciding instead to be the consoling friend. So, he found himself sitting down beside Elli, her head soon finding his shoulder.

They sat at the lakeside for what seemed like hours, both remaining silent. Elli's sobbing subsided, soon replaced by the intrigue that was filling her. She felt so incredibly comfortable resting with her hand sneaking across Jack's chest, feeling the muscles of his chest tighten as he drew in his breath. "Hmmmm…" Elli felt a smile growing across her face.

Jack placed a hand under Elli's chin, lifting her face to his. "Elli, I think that we can be more than friends." The kiss that followed would never be forgotten, but had been equaled by the other moonlit kiss with Nami. The memories of Elli were still strong with Jack. "Maybe, I should write home…" He thought.

Suddenly, A and B began barking. Jack groaned, not bothering to get up to see who it was. "Leave Takakura alone, he's probably tired." Jack called out before returning to his thoughts and humming. "I wonder when Nami is going to want to see me again."

(-)

Meanwhile, that same night, somebody else was looking up at the stars. Nami brushed the red strands of hair that fell across her eyes and sighed. It had been three days since she and Jack had shared that kiss and he had yet to come by to talk to her. She knew that Jack had the same feelings for her that she had for him, so why would he be avoiding her?

During the days, Nami could always see Jack hard at work in the fields. She admired how handsome he looked with the sun shining off his sweat glistened body. Jack had taken up the habit of working in the fields without his shirt on, so Nami had her own little guilty peep show of the young farmer that she felt love for. It was unusual for he to be attracted to a guy for his looks, but Jack had the looks as well as the hard work and determination that she looked for in a guy.

Tonight, she was looking up at the stars, her gaze cast towards one star in particular. This one star shone with an unusual brilliance, setting itself apart from the other stars. In all of her travels across the world, she had never seen this star before. It was almost like the star had just been created recently, signifying some event. A tiny part of her even smirked at the thought that the star might have been created just for her and Jack. No, that couldn't be…

As she watched her star, she began to think about what was her purpose in life. Was she always going to be the same shy girl who traveled throughout the world, never to settle in one place for long? Or maybe, just maybe, she could actually find a place where she felt like she was at home. These were the exact same thoughts that she had been thinking about right before Jack had joined her on the beach. She had never really decided what she was going to do.

There were so many factors that Nami had to think about. She knew full well that Jack was searching for a wife. Takakura had made this fact quite clear to each of the young unmarried women in town. Both Muffy and Celia had expressed interest in Jack. Muffy had even gone as far as sneaking in a kiss. But, Jack didn't show the same interest in either of those girls, focusing his attention on her instead.

Did she really want to shift gears from the traveler to the wife of a farmer? That was something that she had never considered until these last few days. The more she thought about the possibilities, the more intrigued she became with the idea. It might actually be fun.

Only one other thing needed to be determined before she could make her decision. She already knew that Jack loved her, he had even said as much to her. She just needed to know if his "love" meant the same thing as hers. Nami got up to her feet and walked over to the door, intending to go speak with Jack.

Nami calmly made her way down the steps to the main floor. Ruby looked up to see who it was, "Oh, Nami! I thought that you had gone out for the evening. Jack came by earlier and I told him that you had gone for a walk."

"So, that's why he hasn't come to see me. He's tried, but Tim and Ruby lost track of me…" Nami thought, smiling weakly at Ruby as she made her way to the main door.

The night air was cool, but came as a welcome blast of freshness on Nami's skin. A faint tune carried across the evening calm, reaching Nami's ears. Oddly enough, the tune was one that Nami was familiar with, having learned in her early childhood from her mother. She had even taught the song to this one little boy that she had met one time when she had traveled to a tiny place called Mineral Town. Suddenly, Nami realized the connection. "Jack came from Mineral Town… is it possible? No way…"

Her pace quickened as the source of the humming growing closer. She found herself standing at the entrance to Jack's farm. She could see Jack lying in the pasture, the tall grass nearly high enough to hide the farmer. The humming was coming from Jack. "It is him…" Nami realized. Maybe there was such a thing as destiny.

Nami jumped as a pair of tiny dogs began barking at her. "Shhhh…" Nami whispered, but it was no use. The dogs continued barking. Jack's humming had stopped, but the farmer didn't bother to look to see who it was. "Leave Takakura alone, he's probably tired." Jack ordered. Sure enough, the dogs listened and Jack returned to his humming.

Nami was about to speak up, but something held her back. She suddenly felt extremely nervous, almost at the point where she could hardly stand. "Now is not the time to feel faint!" Nami screamed at herself, but to no luck. She couldn't talk to Jack when she felt like this! It might cause more damage than good.

The red haired traveler turned quickly and bolted back towards the Inner Inn. Jack heard the fading footsteps and sat up. He was just in time to see Nami disappear from sight. Jack gave chase, jumping over the pasture fence. Well, not completely over; his foot caught on the top plank, causing Jack to fall on his face.

Takakura was just exiting his house at the same moment as Jack fell to the ground. The older man rushed to his partner's side. Luckily, Jack appeared perfectly fine, but Takakura wasn't going to take any chances. "Go inside and get some sleep." Takakura ordered, but Jack protested. "Whatever it is, it can wait until morning."

(-)

_A/N: I just can't make a relationship that works the way it should, can I? It wouldn't be very entertaining that way. The bumps along the way to bliss are what makes fanfiction so much fun!_

_Truthfully, I am still searching for my purpose in life and the role that this site will play in it. You guys have welcomed me with open arms and I appreciate it. That's what makes my decision so hard. I want to go out with a bang. I have a new fic planned, one that I think will be a masterpiece, but I don't know if I have the time or heart to do it. I want to make sure I finish this one by the end of September, just in case university proves too hectic. But, this idea is so good that I don't want to waste it. I'll make up my mind by the time I post the next chapter of this fic. _


	6. Matchmakers

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 6: Matchmakers

_A/N: Dedicated to the loving memory of Mage._

(-)

The three Harvest Sprites were sitting in their little tree house, discussing their role in Forget-Me-Not Valley. "Spring harvests?" Flak asked, going over the checklist he had in his hand.

"Great, budum! The Harvest Goddess was very kind this season." Nak commented.

"Check. Animals?" Flak noted, moving on to the next item on his list.

Nic smiled from ear to ear, "Puppies are nice."

Nak shook his head at the other Sprite, "You shouldn't torment the poor puppies."

"I wasn't tormenting them, I was ridding them." Nic retorted.

"Same thing, budum!" Nak shot back.

"Animals, check. Blue Feather?" Flak interrupted.

All three Sprites turned their heads to where they had placed the feather. By some sort of miracle or purely accidental, it wasn't quite clear, they had managed to stick the blue feather on top of a really tall mushroom, far out of their own reach. "Uhhh…" The Sprites groaned as they realized what they had gotten themselves into. "Check?" Flak whispered.

(-)

Jack awoke at the first hint of the morning sun. Jack groaned as he slid out of bed and into his work clothes. Sure enough, the puppies were waiting to be fed, just like every other morning. Both dogs barked excitedly upon seeing their master, running from Takakura's feet and over to Jack. "Hey boys, what do you want?"

A and B gave Jack a glare that almost looked like they wanted to say, "What do you think we want? Are you an idiot or something?" Jack merely smiled at the puppies, producing a pouch of dog food that he had gotten Takakura to purchase. The dogs' eyes lit up at the sight of food and they began barking more intensely.

Takakura shook his head in annoyance. Clearly, the elderly farm assistant wasn't much of a dog person. Takakura issued a low grunt, vanishing off to go about his daily chores while Jack tended to the young pups. Jack didn't seem to take much notice, knowing that it was usual for Takakura to do what seemed like it needed to be done, but Jack could never be sure exactly what Takakura had done each day. It was almost a mystery if he did anything at all other than sell the milk at the market, wherever that was.

Jack proceeded to go about his regular chores, which ranged from milking the sole cow to watering the crops. It was amazing that the crops were still alive, much thanks to Jack's rather forgetful nature of being distracted. You can't really blame a young man, barely an adult, when he has two women on the mind, both of whom he loves dearly.

Once he had his part of the daily chores done, Jack was at a loss as to what to do. There was only one thing that came to mind. Go and see Nami. It had now been four days since they had kissed and Jack knew that Nami wanted to see him. So much had been proven after last night. If only he hadn't been so lazy, then maybe he would have had that much needed conversation the night before.

Jack made his way over to the Inner Inn, hoping that he could catch Nami before she left for her morning walk. That had been one of the main problems. One could never be exactly sure where Nami was at any given moment of the day. Some days, she would go down to the beach first, others over to Vespa's farm, and still other days when she would go up to visit other townspeople. Jack was never sure where he would run into Nami, so he had to make the most of times when he knew where she was.

"Hey, is Nami still in?" Jack asked when he entered the Inn.

Tim looked up from his desk, quite surprised that he had a visitor so early in the morning. "Uhhh…" Tim scratched the back of his head as he thought, "Nope, she left really early this morning."

"Did she say where she was going?" Jack prodded.

"Nope." Tim replied, being about as much help as he had ever been.

"Well, thanks anyways." Jack muttered as he turned and walked out the front door.

Another set of footsteps, this one descending the stairs, caused Tim to look over at the other person who had just walked into the lobby. "Who was that?" Nami asked, rubbing the last bit of sleep out of her eyes. "Duh, I thought you left… That's what I told Jack." Tim replied, confusion reigning supreme as he tried to figure out exactly what had just happened.

"Not again…" Nami silently cursed as she took off after Jack. That had to be the billionth time this week that the befuddled Tim had messed up a chance for her and Jack to speak. But then again, she had messed it up the night before, when her own nerves were too much for her. She could have said anything, anything at all, and Jack would have known she was there. Instead, she balked under the pressure and ran. Maybe, she wasn't quite ready for love and that was her body's way of telling her not to try.

Nami rushed out the door, looking both ways in search of the farmer. No luck. Jack must have already gotten to the next building and gone inside. The young traveler was about to choose a direction to go in when she felt a tiny tug on her pants. "Excuse me." A little voice called out.

Nami looked behind her to see who it was, but nobody was there. There was another tug, forcing Nami to look down. At her feet was a tiny little pixie-like person, no taller than a toddler. He was wearing a blue tunic that was much too big for him, making him look even more like a midget. "Who are you?" Nami asked, a little bit afraid of the unusual person.

"I'm Nic and I'm a Harvest Sprite!" The little Sprite said with a huge smile.

"And what does a Harvest Sprite do?" Nami was looking around, hoping that somebody else was there to witness this strange conversation. She had heard folk-lore about the Harvest Sprites, but had never actually believed any of it, until now, of course.

Nic reached up and grabbed hold of Nami's hand. "Come, follow, budum."

Curiosity always was one of Nami's weak points, so she let the Harvest Sprite lead her. Nic waddled past Jack's farm, up the tiny stairs towards the waterfall. Nic led Nami right to the edge of the stream before ordering, "Stay, and something good will happen to you, budum!" And with that, Nic was gone. Nami could only wonder what Nic's definition of "good" was.

(-)

"No Muffy, I'm sure that Nami isn't in your room, so I don't need to check." Jack called back into the Blue Bar as he made his exit. He shook his head in disbelief. Muffy was so eager to begin a lust-filled relationship with Jack, but he didn't want to be a part of that. If he made even the slightest move that suggested that he was interested in Muffy, it would signal the end of work on the farm for him. Every spare second that he would have apart from wooing the two women would be spent retelling the tales to A and B.

It came as a surprise when Jack nearly walked right over both Nak and Flak, who were both standing right outside the door of the Blue Bar. "Hey guys, what mischief are you up to today?" Jack smiled as he knelt down to the same level as the two Sprites.

"None!" Flak denied, sounding somewhat offended.

"Honest!" Nak added. Nak then proceeded to pull out a red bandanna and held it out to Jack. "Cover your eyes." Nak ordered.

"And you don't consider this mischief?" Jack chuckled as he complied with the orders of the two Sprites. As soon as Jack had the bandanna over his eyes, Nak and Flak grabbed hold of his hands and began pulling him after them. "Where are you taking me?" Jack suddenly felt a little worried as to his own personal safety.

"We have gift for Jack." Nak called out.

"That's right. No peaking, budum!" Flak added. Jack felt himself heading uphill. The sound of running water was to his right, so Jack guessed that the Harvest Sprites were leading him to their house. So, it came as a surprise to Jack as he felt the Harvest Sprites' hands slip out of his and leave him.

Jack knew where he was, right at the base of the waterfall. Just the sound of the water crashing down as it followed the work of gravity brought back so many memories of Mineral Town. He and Elli had sat and watched the waterfall together on more than one occasion, so he felt the pains of loss twinge in his heart.

The farmer was about to reach up and remove the bandanna, but another hand stopped his. This hand definitely didn't belong to a Harvest Sprite, being much larger and more delicate. Jack found the hand to be rather familiar, although he could not tell who it was; he had a pretty good idea that it was Nami. Her hand reached up and removed the bandanna, her eyes instantly connecting with the pair opposite hers. "Hi." Nami whispered.

Jack smiled down at the red-haired maiden, "Hi," he whispered back. That was all the conversation that was needed. Jack smoothly landed a kiss on Nami's lips, much to the girl's surprise. Nami seemed hesitant at first to kiss back, but when Jack went to part the kiss, Nami held on.

Meanwhile, the matchmakers were witnessing the event. Upon seeing the kiss they began to celebrate. "Jack and Nami, together, budum!" Nic almost yelled.

"Blue feather in summer, budum." Nak added, equally as loud.

"Love is in the air, budum!" Flak shouted.

"Keep it down, you might ruin the mood." A fourth voice added, hushing the Sprites.

All three Sprites hung their heads in shame, "Sorry, Master Takakura."

Takakura smiled, actually smiled. The chances of Jack carrying on the family tradition were becoming better by the day, now that he and Nami had gotten over the initial stages of love. The first kiss, the awkward meeting after the kiss, all the way up to the second kiss. They had all been taken care of.

"What does the Harvest Goddess want us to do next?" Nak asked, snapping Takakura out of his daydream.

Takakura shrugged his shoulders, "She didn't say anything about what to do next." Takakura served as the messenger between the Harvest Sprites and the Harvest Goddess. That was one secret that he had to be sure that Jack didn't find out. It was dangerous enough that he was here with the Harvest Sprites. If Jack saw him alongside the Sprites, his cover would be blown. Jack was still at the stage where he believes that he was the only one who could see the Harvest Sprites.

"Actually, there is one thing that the Harvest Goddess wants to tell you Sprites." Takakura started, remembering something that the Goddess had told him during his last visit.

The Harvest Sprites were practically begging Takakura to tell the Sprites their next order. "What?" They all demanded in unison.

Takakura pointed over to the base of the tree house, to the mushrooms growing out front. "She wants you guys to quit eating the mushrooms, they're making you guys stupid."

(-)

_A/N: Sorry for the short length. These last few days have been really hard on me, since it is one month since… I'm not even going to say it; I don't want to remember that day. I've just had trouble with all the memories. Although they are painful, they are the key to my future._

_Oh, if you have been viewing my author alerts or noticed my other story, which is not my big final project. That's just something that's I'm working on while I finish this one. I'm going to do my final story after I finish this one, but that won't be for some time. If you want details on my final fic, I wrote some stuff about it in my profile._


	7. Slip of the Tongue

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 7: Slip of the Tongue

_A/N: Dedicated to the loving memory of Mage. Sorry for the wait for this chapter. I lost my internet privileges, so I had to resort to using the computers at the local library. Mother, damn her, and I had a disagreement. She said something along the lines of "You're never going to amount to anything other than a pathetic loser." So I threatened to leave for Toronto (other side of the country)._

(-)

Summer had begun in Forget-Me-Not Valley and Jack couldn't be any happier than he was at that exact moment. Not only was the warmer here than it was during the Summer in Mineral Town, but the natural beauty of this town might exceed his former home. The waterfall, the beach, even the trees along the Valley, they all were slightly better than Mineral Town. He had thought it to be impossible, but now he was witnessing it first hand. Everything about the Valley was better than Mineral Town, but there was one thing yet to be judged. Could Nami equal what Elli had and still meant to him?

That task would be a difficult one to decide. Jack's relationship with Elli had evolved over two _years_. But, with Nami, it took only one season to get to the same point that had taken Elli a full year. Maybe, just maybe, he had been mistaken about Elli, having considered her his true love only because he did not know about Nami. Plus there was that song… Although he couldn't remember what the girl had even looked like, he was positive that it had to be either Nami or Elli. As far as he had known, Nami had never been to Mineral Town, so that partially gave Elli the edge. But, there was the here and now, so Nami's actions could sway things in her favor.

Jack knew that Nami was a very unique girl, but he was basically trying to stick with the same course of actions that he had with Elli. The only problem was that, here, there were no festivals that could assist Jack in creating those memorable moments that had proven so handy with Elli.

Thinking back now, there were so many great memories with Elli. Of course, there was that very first date for the Harvest Goddess Festival. The next great memory came at the Local Horse Races, where Jack was racing his Grandfather's horse. Jack bet tons of his own money, winning Elli a brilliant necklace. The pair exchanged gifts on their birthdays, the Winter Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Festivals. Jack teamed up with Elli and Stu to win the Tomato Festival. Then there were those romantic based festivals made to help young lovers, such as the Fireworks Display, Moon Viewing Day, and the Star Night Festival. Each one left a special memory with Jack and most likely Elli still remembered those memories as well.

Well, today marked the official beginning of the dating stage of his relationship with Nami. Sure, there had already been two kisses between the pair, but nothing had become official yet. That would all change tonight. But, Jack was faced with a problem. He had absolutely no idea where to take Nami for their date.

Even though there were plenty of options in Forget-Me-Not Valley, nearly every good one had already been the site of one of the important events of their early relationship stages. The beach had the first kiss. The waterfall served as the backdrop to the second kiss and the agreement to this date. There was the Blue Bar… Wait, Muffy. No good. Wait… he did have an idea, but he would need a little help with this one in order for it to work.

"I'm off Takakura!" Jack called out as he rushed out of his house and into town.

Takakura merely smiled after the young man. "Go get 'er, tiger." He whispered.

(-)

"Yeah, sure thing, man. That's totally righteous. You know that love will conquer all and you need my help if you want to achieve victory. In that case, count me in, my friend."

"Thanks, Gustafa, I knew I can count on you. Just wait for my signal." Jack patted the easy-going man with the purple tinted glasses on the back. Now, his plan was all ready. He just needed to get Nami and then operation "shock and wow" would be underway. "This is going to be great." He whispered, wringing his hands in anticipation.

(-)

"This is going to be horrible!" Nami cried out in despair.

"What's wrong, Nami?" Ruby called up the stairs.

"Nothing!" Nami quickly replied. A lie. Nami had just run into a huge problem. Up until the last five minutes, she hadn't been thinking of this "date" as an actual date. Now, she was in a rush to prepare herself and appear presentable.

"Well, hurry up. Jack's waiting!" Ruby called back. Nami could tell from the tone of Ruby's voice that she was smiling. It was a natural reaction for any kind hearted motherly figure to be proud of their child when something good happens to them.

Nami frantically tugged at the brush that had gotten stuck in her chair, all the while trying to tug on her pants with her other hand. Nami gave an extra hard tug on the brush, which finally untangled itself from her hair. Suddenly, a huge tearing sound filled the room. Nami looked down to see a large hole in her pants. Frantically, she tossed the pants across the room as she stumbled over to her closet. "What to wear?" She growled as she flipped through the various outfits.

(-)

Downstairs, Jack and Tim were deep in conversation. "… with that slight tinge of exotic Asian flavor, what more can I guy ask for?" Jack was saying as Ruby stepped down from the staircase after yelling at Nami.

Tim was about to reply when he caught the glare that Ruby was sending him. "What? We're talking about food!"

"Exotic Asian flavor?" Ruby twitched.

Tim quickly nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, Jack was just telling me a recipe he learned from a girl back in Mineral Town. It calls for lots of seasoning and beer."

"Men!" Ruby huffed as she headed into the back room. "Yup, that's how you make Karen's Beer Stir Fry." Jack finished saying once Ruby left the room.

"Am I interrupting something?" Nami's voice whispered into Jack's ear. Jack turned to face his date, his jaw striking the floor seconds after. Nami was standing before him, wearing a dress. "A dress? On Nami?" Jack thought to himself, "But wait… why do I have this feeling that I saw that very same dress before?"

Nami saw Jack's intrigued gaze and smiled. "This? It was my favorite dress as a child, so I had another one remade to fit me now. Do you like it?" Jack nodded his head in obedient agreement. He had seen that dress before, but where? He would have to figure that out later, right now, he had a date to deal with.

The sun was just about to set as Jack and Nami seated themselves on the bridge that crossed the stream. The couple was looking out at the ocean, the very same one that they had crossed to get to Forget-Me-Not Valley. Out there, very far away, was Elli, probably looking out at the ocean as well, remembering what she had lost. Jack shook the thought out of his head, focusing instead on the here and now. "Do you like it here?" Jack asked Nami.

Behind them, the street lamps clicked on. Gustafa passed by, strolling along the riverbank. The minstrel seated himself on one of the benches nearby and cast a ready signal to Jack. The signal went unnoticed by Nami, who was too busy trying to think of a reply to Jack's question. "I guess it's ok." Nami finally said after a lengthy pause.

"Only ok? You mean that you've been to better places?" Jack prodded. This might be a good opportunity to learn more about Nami's background.

Nami nodded in response to Jack's question, "Forget-Me-Not Valley is an alright place. Friendly people, nice weather, the normal stuff. But, it's missing that personal tie to it. You have an entire farm that belongs to your family, so you are connected to this place, while I have nothing like that."  
"Well, then what kind of personal tie does your favorite place have to you?" Jack asked, pushing his luck. He already knew that Nami was a hard person to get into a conversation with, but once she started talking, she had so much wisdom and knowledge that it was hard to get her to stop.

"There was this one town, I have a cousin there. Every time I visited that town, my cousin made me feel like I was just like any other citizen. I think that you may know her."

Jack was slightly confused. He had only been to three towns in his entire life: Mineral Town, Forget-Me-Not Valley, and his hometown. So, who could Nami's cousin possibly be? "I don't know who you're talking about." Jack stated.

Nami shook her head in disbelief. "Sometimes, I worry about you. You already forgot about Elli and Mineral Town?"

"You mean that you and Elli are cousins!" Jack almost shouted out in surprise.

The red haired girl nodded her head, "Yes. Hit it Gustafa." Gustafa nodded and began strumming along a peaceful melody, the very one that Jack had been humming a few days ago. The same one that the mysterious little girl had taught him years ago. "Do you remember this song? The one I taught you?" Nami asked.

"You? You're that girl?" Jack's head was about to explode with the information that he was being bombarded with. He had been thinking that it had been Elli for two full years and now he knew the truth. But wait… If Nami and Elli are cousins, why was Nami moving in on Elli's territory so quickly after the breakup? Jack's head was really beginning to hurt.

Once again, Nami nodded in agreement to Jack's comment. "Elli's been telling me about this wonderful guy that she met for the last couple of years. I was becoming somewhat jealous, because I knew that it was you who she was talking about, the boy I had a childhood crush on. So, when I heard over the radio that she had broken up with you, I felt both happy and sad. Elli was heartbroken, but you were now free for me. I just needed to see if you were still the same kind of person as you were as a child."

Jack was unsure whether to be ecstatic or afraid. He was seated beside the girl of his destiny. But, Nami was almost like a vicious vulture, swooping in on her prey. Wait, what was he complaining about? Here was a girl that he loved and she was obviously committed to him, having waited her entire life to be with him again. Maybe he should have kept that Blue Feather…

"I feel like a great burden was just lifted off my chest!" Nami exclaimed, hugging onto Jack. "Now that you know how I feel, why don't you tell me how you feel?"

"Nami, I…" A loud clasp of thunder cut Jack off. From out of nowhere, a storm had gathered overhead of Forget-Me-Not Valley and had just released its anger on the village. Heavy rain pounded Jack and Nami as lightning and thunder exploded all around them.

Jack quickly got up to his feet and helped Nami get up off the bridge. "We should get inside!" He shouted over the tormenting rain. Nami nodded her soaked head in agreement and the two of them broke into a run towards the Inner Inn.

"What were you going to say?" Nami shouted out as they ploughed through the rain and mud. They were only steps away from the Inner Inn. Ruby was waiting with the door open, urging the pair to hurry up. Nami reached the door shortly before Jack did and turned towards Jack.

"I love you too, Elli!" Jack finally managed to say as he stopped right outside the front door of the Inn. It was too late before Jack realized what he had said. There was already the stinging palm print on his cheek and the door slammed shut in front of him. He had just ruined another relationship…

Jack turned and began the sullen trip back towards his farm. Gustafa had changed his music selection, appropriately, to "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head." "So evil triumphs today, but we live to fight again tomorrow." The guitarist called out as Jack turned to go to his farm. Gustafa chuckled to himself, not seeming to mind the storm as he continued to play his music.

Just as soon as it had begun, the storm subsided. Jack shook his head, shaking loose the water from his hair. One word. That was all that he had said wrong. Now, all he could think of was how much Nami hated him. It was an honest mistake. They had been talking about Elli, so why shouldn't she be on his mind?

Takakura was waiting at the door of the tool shed for Jack. He had a tiny blue object grasped in his hand. Takakura held out the object towards Jack and commented, "I found a Blue Feather in there. Do you know how rare those things are around here?"

"Take it and burn it." Jack commented callously as he walked past the elder farmer. Jack said nothing else, just walking straight into his house and shutting off all the lights after him.

"Youth these days," Takakura shook his head, "They just don't do romance like they used to."

(-)

_A/N: And you guys thought that I was going to make it easy? Poor Jack, I hop he has fun trying to figure out a way to woo back Nami. She isn't one whose heart you can break and sew back together so easily. Wait… That means that I have to figure out a way to get them back together… What did I do?_


	8. Who Do You Love?

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 8: Who Do You Love?

_A/N: Dedicated to the loving memory of Mage. This is so much fun! It feels so good to jerk around with somebody's emotions and watch how they react. I've had a bad case of writer's block recently, but I think I figured out what to do with this chapter. Thanks for reading._

(-)

"What happened to Jack?" That was the topic of conversation throughout the entire town. Nobody had seen the young farmer in four days, ever since his date with Nami. To make matters worse, Nami refused to speak on the subject, which made speculations run wild. "Do you think Nami killed Jack?" A worried Muffy asked during her shift.

Doctor Hardy shook his head in disagreement. "Suicide is a more likely probability." His tone was so serious that Muffy gasped in horror.

"Chances are, Jack screwed up and pissed off Nami." Griffin suggested.

This suggestion perked Muffy right up. "So Jack's single!" The blond haired girl made for the door, but Griffin stopped her. "You're still on shift." He reminded Muffy, pulling her back behind the counter.

"The work on the farm is still getting done, and we know that Takakura is too old to do any of it himself. That only could mean that Jack's still doing his part." Rock explained as he sipped from his drink.

"Moi. Jack works at night." Murray explained.

"Then what does he do during the day?" Muffy asked. Everybody fell silent, trying to think up of something.

"Sleep?"

"That would only account for a few hours. Unlike you, Rock, Jack is the kind of person who tries to do something productive with his life." Hardy replied.

"Cook?" This suggestion from Muffy caused everybody to burst out into a fit of laughter. "What? He can't be that bad of a cook!"

Griffin stopped chuckling for a few seconds, long enough to explain, "Jack walks around eating herbs. He sells all of his eggs, milk, and crops for profit. Even Murray here manages to get in a decent meal of fish every once in a while." The homeless wanderer gave a big smile which could hardly be seen through his thick shaggy beard.

Meanwhile, Jack could be found inside his house, engaging in his daily activity. A and B were seated on Jack's bed while the farmer was glued to the television set. "Now, I can relate to this guy." Jack was explaining, pointing to the TV as he scratched at the stubble on his chin. "He's a farmer, just like me. But, that's where the similarities end, except for those familiar looking Harvest Sprites… Well, first off, this lucky guy doesn't have to worry about women. It's impossible to get married in this game. Plus, he doesn't need to do a single bit of farming to actually save the homeland. There are so many endings that you can get without even planting a single crop. It's almost like this game is part of a series and the company that made it was hoping to ride the coattails of an earlier game of the same name. Hey, come to think of it, the farm back in Mineral Town would make a good game for this series…"

Back at the Blue Bar, the occupants had come to agree that Jack had angered Nami, but this began another argument. "I think that Jack became really lecherous and tried something funny on Nami." Muffy suggested.

"No, that would be your fantasy speaking," Griffin retorted, "Nami probably was too shy."

"That wouldn't explain why he's being so anti-social. Nami must have said something that offended Jack." Hardy guessed.

"Then why is Nami refusing to say anything? She's acting like Jack called her by a different girl's name." Even though Rock had only been joking, he had managed to guess correctly. Everybody nodded their head in understanding, knowing that such an event easily explained everything. "I hope he said my name." Muffy silently wished.

(-)

"Nami, do you want to talk about it?" A worried Ruby was asking on the opposite side of Nami's door. "Go away." Nami replied from inside, her voice filled with enough anger to scare even the evilest of creatures. Ruby made the wise decision and headed back downstairs.

Nami was seated on her bed, her head hung low. The more she thought about that night, the more she began to question if her relationship with Jack would work out. Jack clearly still loved Elli, but was also ready to move on. He had partially given up on the woman that had broken his heart, but if given the chance, would go back to her. Nami had decided that men were just puppy dogs willing to follow whoever paid attention to them.

The funny thing about Nami's situation was that she didn't want to give up on Jack. The entire idea of settling down and raising a family was growing on her. For every passing day she spent in Forget-Me-Not Valley, the more she became attached to it. Despite her rather silent nature, she was still managing to make friends. The people here were all just so friendly and carefree.

Nami's thoughts were interrupted by a sharp ringing sound. Ever since she had began traveling, she had never received a call on her cell phone. In fact, she had almost forgotten where she had last put it. Nami began scrambling through her belongings as the phone rang a second time. On the third ring she remembered where she had put the phone, in her jacket pocket. "Hello?" She managed to ask, right before her voicemail kicked in.

"Hi Nami." A familiar soft voice replied on the other end. "It's Elli."

It had been almost eleven years since the two cousins had last talked, so it was extremely strange that Elli would be calling Nami's cell. Wait, how did Elli find this number? She must have called Nami's parents and learned it from them. "What's the matter, Elli? You sound pretty bummed out."

Elli let out a large sigh, "The last couple of seasons have been pretty rough on me. My boyfriend and I had a disagreement and he ended up leaving me. I lost my job. Grandma passed away a few weeks ago. And Stu was forced to live in a foster home because I couldn't provide for him."

"Wow… that's harsh. What are you going to do?" Nami asked, genuinely concerned. Elli was family, after all. The two girls had never been close, but at the moment, Nami must have been the closest thing to family that Elli had left. Elli always was such a cheerful girl, and to have hit rock bottom must have been horrible.

"I don't know. I'm not really welcome around here any more, so I'm thinking about taking a page out of your book and running away."

"Hey now, you don't want to do anything that you'll regret. Are you sure that you want to do this?"

Somebody on the other side must have been bothering Elli, "I'm almost finished Doug, so buzz off! Sorry about that, the Innkeeper is being frigid. Yes, I'm sure. I've already got the ticket for the cruise ship booked. The first place I was going to is a town called Forget-Me-Not Valley."

Nami felt herself smile, thinking that she was going to meet up with her cousin again. "That's where I'm at! It's a nice little town, you'll like it."

Elli chuckled lightly, "I guess I'll visit you after I talk to Jack. Well, I've got to go, Doug's getting impatient. See you somewhere around Fall first."

"Jack! You're coming here to see Jack!" Nami practically screamed out, but it was too late. Elli had already hung up. "This is going to be great." Nami whispered sarcastically as she fell back onto her bed. Elli was obviously coming back to rekindle her relationship with Jack. That meant that Nami had two options. One was to leave Jack alone and let Elli have him. Two was to forgive Jack and make Elli's life even more miserable when she arrived to find her cousin with her ex-boyfriend. Nami still had that dream of settling down with a family, so maybe…

(-)

"Now this guy here, Link, he's somebody I should be taking advice from. Throughout this entire game, he has the chance to hook up with what, six different girls? But no, he ignores the women and concentrates on carrying out his destiny. If only I had followed his advice, then I wouldn't have pissed off both Elli and Nami. Then there's Link, because he ignored those people when he had the chance, he loses so many of them. Saria, Nabouru, Ruto, Impa; they're all sages. When he's done, all he has left is Malon and Zelda, but neither remember him. That's pretty harsh. Maybe women aren't worth the trouble after all. They don't understand one simple mistake."

"Jack?" A voice called from outside.

"Nami?" Jack called back, jumping up to his feet. The farmer ran over to the door and burst outside. Sure enough, there was Nami. She was slowly approaching his house, almost like she was still unsure as to why she was here. "What are you here for?" Jack asked coldly, leaning up against his house.

Nami looked down in shame, stopping in her tracks. "All I want is to apologize for slapping you. I overreacted. I already knew about the entire situation between you and my cousin, so I shouldn't have been surprised to learn that you still love her."

Jack was caught off guard. He had been expecting that Nami had come here to tell him that she was leaving for another town. Actually, an apology was the last thing that he expected. He found himself drawing closer to Nami. "I should be the one apologizing to you." Jack and Nami were now only a few steps apart.

Nami lifted her head to see Jack's sincere face. She knew that it was an honest mistake on his part, and yet he was apologizing. That was one of the things that she loved about Jack. "Jack…" Jack silenced Nami by holding his finger up to her lips. "Don't want to say anything to wreck this." Jack whispered, pulling Nami close against his chest. Nami felt her eyes close as Jack tilted her head. His breath felt warm against her neck, making her flustered.

But, Jack stopped. He let go of Nami and began to back away. Nami opened up her eyes in alarmed shock. Jack seemed angry. "Why can't we be alone? Are your lives so boring that you have nothing better to do than spy on others?" Jack yelled out.

"Jack, what are you talking about?" Nami asked, worried that Jack was no longer sane.

Nami's question was answered mere seconds later. The bushes began to rustle as a few villagers snuck away. Somebody climbed down from a tree behind Jack's house. The door to the barn slammed shut as the people in there ran off through the pasture. In total, there had to be at least a dozen people watching them.

Jack turned back to Nami, smiling apologetically. "Let's go somewhere a little more private." Jack suggested, motioning towards the tool shed on the side of the barn. Nami hastily agreed. The couple ducked into the shed, despite the obvious groans of disappointment from the remaining observers. "Now, where were we?" Jack smiled as he kissed Nami.

The kiss lasted for a few seconds before Nami broke it. Something had caught her eye as she entered the tool shed. Nami released Jack and walked over to a shelf, her eyes on a tiny blue feather. She had heard this feather mentioned many times in romance novels, and fully understood its purpose. She turned back to Jack and smiled slyly, "Is this for me?"

Jack was fidgeting nervously. He must not have wanted her to find this feather. He was saving it for later. Nami could only imagine what was running through his head. Then she realized the position she had put herself into. She had just forced Jack to propose on the spot or to risk ruining the relationship again. Was she ready to deal with the consequences of either situation? "Wait, before you say anything, answer one question for me. Who do you love, me or Elli?"

This question was even worse on Jack than the previous question. It took the farmer a few moments to figure out exactly what he was going to say. "I'm not going to lie to you. I love both of you. Elli was that first relationship, the one that you wish could have gone perfectly. I still wish that and if I ever saw her again I would try to fix my mistakes. I don't want you to think that you are a rebound girl or something like that. I love you just as much as Elli and I wish that I could have met you first so I wouldn't have the memories of Elli to bother me. But, as it is, I have to deal with my memories and live for the here and now. I'm not quite ready to ask you to marry me, but I'm sure that I will. I just need more time."

Nami carefully thought over Jack's response. "I guess that's good enough for me. Just promise me one thing. Make up your mind before Summer is over, ok?"

(-)

_A/N: I can't wait until next chapter. Elli's going to show up and Jack is under pressure to propose to Nami. But, which will happen first? Just so everyone knows, this fic will be over by the end of the month. I'm going to work really hard these next few weeks to finish as many chapters as possible._


	9. While You Were Gone

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 9: While You Were Gone

_A/N: This is going to be great. I thought up a really great thing to do in this chapter. Poor Jack. After this chapter is over, he won't have a clue what to do. That's all I'm going to say before I get into the chapter._

(-)

"This is just great." Jack was saying, rather sarcastically, as he paced back and forth inside of his house. The dogs followed his movement like a pair of spectators at a tennis match. "It's the last day of Summer and I still haven't made up my mind about Nami. I know that she loves me and I love her, so there shouldn't be a problem. Right?" Jack looked over at A and B for an answer, but neither supplied him with something to calm his nerves.

"Well, let's put everything out on the table. We both love each other; that's a pro. I still love Elli. Con. Destiny fulfilled. That's a good thing. The fact that I hate this destiny because it ruined what I had with Elli. Bad thing." Jack was now rummaging through his rucksack, taking out items to represent each of the points that he came up with. He was about to state another fact when his hand grabbed hold of the Blue Feather. The farmer pulled the item from his bag, eyeing the feather in disdain. "The fact that I don't know what I want…"

Jack's conversation with himself came to an abrupt end as a knock came at his door. "Jack, get off your lazy behind and come do some work for a change!" Takakura shouted before continuing on with his work.

The young farmer smiled as he restocked his rucksack. "Takakura's right. Some farm work might help me make up my mind. Something's bound to come to me and put everything in a different light."

(-)

Nami was just as stressed over the matter as Jack was, but for an entirely different reason. She knew that the longer Jack took, the more likely that it would be too late for Nami. Elli would be arriving any day now and that would spell the end of any chance that Nami had of living happily ever after with Jack.

Did she regret forcing Jack to propose to her? Of course she did. She was, after all, a stickler for things being done properly according to tradition. The courtship process was one of those traditions that she believed in, but there were times when drastic matters had to be taken.

Ever since that moment when she had seen Jack and Muffy kiss, she felt madly in love with Jack. At first it was only a jealous reaction, but upon further dwelling, she realized that it was love. Nami, despite her travels, actually wanted nothing more than to settle down with a good man and raise a family. Jack was the closest thing to accomplishing her dream that Nami had run across in her entire life, so she wasn't going to let her own cousin ruin it for her.

A new thought suddenly sent a shiver down Nami's spine. What if Jack did propose to her? Was she really ready? Even is she accepted, Elli was still going to show up and put a wrench in Nami's plans. There was always the chance that Jack would abandon her to return to his ex-girlfriend. Maybe it would be better if she went and told Jack what she knew.

"I'm going to go see Jack." Nami's sudden announcement caused Ruby to jump. Ruby had completely forgotten that Nami was outside on the balcony while Ruby cleaned the room. Nami rushed past Ruby and down the stairs. Ruby headed over to the window and leaned out to watch as Nami emerged from the entrance of the Inner Inn. Ruby's eyes followed Nami as she ran over towards Jack's farm and disappear around the corner. She was just about to return to her work when a boat's whistle sounded from down at the beach. "This won't turn out well." Ruby whispered, knowing fully well what that whistle meant.

Nami heard the whistle, sending her heart into a frantic frenzy. "I thought she said that she'd be here Fall first!" She complained to herself as she scoped the farm for Jack. Seeing the young man that she loved nowhere in sight, she began searching through the buildings. He wasn't in the barn. The same could be said for the tool shed. Finally, Nami came across someone, but it wasn't Jack, "Oh, sorry Takakura, I didn't mean to disturb you. Where can I find Jack?"

The old farmer grunted, "He's not on the farm, I can tell you that. The last I saw of him, he had his fishing pole in hand and he was heading upriver. Most liberal translation of work I've ever seen."

Nami hadn't bothered to stick around for the rest of Takakura's complaints. She was already out the door of the chicken coop. Takakura watched as the red headed girl hopped the fence of the pasture, heading for the path across the farm. "He crossed the river!" Takakura called out, but it was too late. Nami had already reached the path and was heading towards the waterfall.

It just so happened that at that exact same moment, Jack was entering the farm from the other entrance. The farmer had a rather large fish in hand and was absent mindedly climbing over the fence into the pasture. He walked straight towards the new pond where he gently released the fish. Then, Jack proceeded to pull out his fishing pole and cast it into the pond after the fish. "Jack! What on earth are you doing?" Takakura screamed.

"Shhh! You'll scare the fish!" Jack replied with a smile as he reeled in the very fish he had just released.

(-)

Down at the beach, the boat was just pulling away after dropping of its passenger. The passenger, who was wearing a rather bulky white trench coat, pulled the brim of her very familiar looking hat a little bit lower over her hazel eyes before climbing the hill up into town. "Can I help you with something my good traveler?" A friendly voice asked.

Elli looked over at the smiling man wearing the purple shades. "Tell me where I can find Jack."

Gustafa smile grew a bit wider. "Oh, Jack! He's one of my bestest buddies, you know. He lives on the farm just behind those trees there. He's done an awesome job with the place since he came here."

Elli followed the man's pointed hand, making out the faint outline of some building behind the wall of trees. She took in a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do. She had been going over this process in her mind thousands of times since Jack had left, so she knew exactly what she wanted to do. Elli reached up, removing the cap from her head, letting her auburn hair drop perfectly into its natural style. Her gaze settled on the blue feather taped to the inside of the hat, where she had been keeping it. "You're all that I have left." She whispered softly as she determinedly headed towards the farm.

The sound of frantic footsteps approached Elli, causing her to look in the direction that the sound came from. A red haired girl emerged from a path between the trees then turned, running across a bridge and back the direction she had come in. "Maybe he went to the dig after fishing." The girl was muttering as she vanished from sight.

Elli almost called out to the girl; sure that it was her cousin, Nami. She decided not to, remembering that she had someone more important that she needed to see first. With each and every step that she took; the closer she got to Jack; the faster her heart beat. So much was riding on this reunion. She was counting on Jack to take her back, even after what she had done to him. The mental image of her pointing towards the door as she tried to hold back the tears had been burned into her mind, scarring her for these last seasons.

Her dress, beneath her coat, lightly swept across the ground as she stepped onto the farm. Nearly instantly, she spotted him. "Jack!" She cried out, casting aside the lines that she had scripted as she ran to the fence. Elli watched as the fishing pole dropped out of Jack's trembling hands. He knew who it was, but he didn't believe it. He slowly turned his head, praying that it wasn't his imagination playing games with him. His eyes finally caught sight of Elli and he broke out into a run towards her. "Elli!"

Jack jumped the fence and was immediately embraced by Elli, who buried her face into his chest. "I've missed you so much." She admitted amid tears. Jack merely smiled, just glad to be with Elli again. "What brings you here?" Jack finally asked.

Elli gingerly released Jack and wiped away a tear from her eye. She looked up into Jack's eyes, seeing the same tender love that they had the last time that she had seen him. "Jack, you're the only one I have left."

"What happened to Stu and your grandmother?" Jack asked, a feeling of dread filling his stomach.

Elli stifled back the tears, knowing that Jack was here to console her. "Ever since you left, my life's been a mess. Those first few days without you were horrible. I felt terrible, especially when I realized how I had reacted to you. I should have been happy for you, after all you were getting your own farm, just like you had always wanted. Instead, I took it personally, like you were leaving to get rid of me.

From there, things just got worse. About a week after you left, my grandmother passed away." Elli stopped momentarily as she felt Jack take hold of her hands. Her spirits were immediately lifted. She felt like she belonged again. "I was a mess. I didn't go to work; all I did was sit at home and cry. A few days later, they took Stu away from me because I wasn't able to care for him on my own. I was wishing that I could just turn to you for support, but you weren't there anymore."

Elli paused, taking a deep breath. "This is the part I'm really ashamed about, but I have to tell you." Elli looked back into Jack's eyes, trying to read his emotions as she slowly undid the coat. A tiny mischievous glimmer showed in Jack's eyes at first, but the look disapeared when she removed the coat, showing her bulging stomach. Now, Jack had a look of shock across his face. He knew that it wasn't his. "I went into work one day, in an attempt to get my life back on track. Tim was there for me, trying to be as consoling and helpful as possible. I misread his intentions, because he… he…" Elli began sniffling as she tried to tell the sordid secret that had caused her so much trouble back in Mineral Town.

She didn't dare look him in the eyes anymore. This was the one part about her speech that she knew was going to be difficult. How could you tell the man that you loved that you were carrying a child that wasn't his? Worse off, how could you admit that you were raped by his rival? She half expected that Jack would turn his back on Elli, just as she had when he came to tell her that he was leaving. Instead, she felt Jack's hands on her shoulders. Elli looked up, directly into Jack's eyes. They held a look of intense burning hatred, but underneath there was understanding. The hatred wasn't directed at her. Jack once again embraced Elli, holding her tight against his chest as he whispered into her ear, "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you."

These simple, reassuring words were all that Elli needed. Now it was time for the final part, the one that she needed to work. She still had Jack's hat in her hand. "Jack?" Elli probed, gently wriggling out of Jack's hold. The farmer looked confused as Elli handed him the hat, with the Blue Feather sticking out. She wanted him to ask the question that he should have asked when he had given her the hat.

(-)

Nami couldn't find Jack anywhere. She had searched up and down the river, dropped in at the dig site, even stopping by to ask Celia if Jack had come by. Nobody had seen the farmer recently. To make matters worse, Nami knew that Elli was looking for Jack as well. Whoever ran into the farmer first would be the one walking away with the prize. "Where are you Jack?" She cursed as she crossed back across the bridge.

She was just about to run into town to look for him when she happened to cast a glance over at his farm. There was Jack, and he was talking to a girl, who had to be Elli. Elli was obviously pregnant, looking like she was at least two seasons pregnant. But wait… two seasons ago, she was with Jack…

Nami felt her heart nearly rip in half as she stumbled towards the reunited couple. She watched as they hugged. Then, she saw the Blue Feather in Jack's hand. He had been playing her the entire time. Never once had he intended on marrying her. The entire time, he was just waiting for Elli to arrive so that he could live with his future family.

Elli spotted the approaching Nami, waving her over. "Hey Nami! It's been a long time!" Jack, who had his back partially turned to Nami, looked over his shoulder. "Nami, have you met Elli?"

Nami's response was simple. For the second time this season, she slapped Jack across the face. "How could you?" She screamed out, on the verge of tears, "I poured my heart out to you and this is how you repay me! You lied to my face, each and every time that you said that you loved me. Now, you're going to marry my cousin! I hate you; I hope that I never see you again." With that Nami turned on her heels and stormed back towards town.

"Nami, wait!" Jack called out. He realized that she had seen the Blue Feather in his hands and had assumed that it was the one that she had found in his tool shed. Jack quickly reached into his rucksack and produced the second Blue Feather. "This is the one meant for you!"

Apparently, this was the wrong thing to say, especially right in front of Elli. Jack found that his cheek now stung twice as bad as it had mere seconds ago. "I thought that you were telling me the truth. You'd come back for me! Not until after you've slept around! And to think that I was came all the way here for you!" With that, it was Elli's turn to walk out on Jack, leaving the poor farmer standing all alone on his farm holding two Blue Feathers.

(-)

_A/N: That's a pretty good lead up to the final chapter. But, I'm still wondering who Jack is going to end up with. There's only one chapter left for him to fix things with either Nami or Elli. Will he be able to do it? Or will he end up giving up on both and going for Muffy? I'm sure that she'd accept his proposal. No, I won't do that; it'll be either Elli or Nami. Thanks for reading and please leave a review voicing your opinion on this matter._


	10. Decisions

**Conflicting Loves**

Chapter 10: Decision

_A/N: It took me a long time to figure out how I was going to end this fic. I racked my brain for nights on end since posting chapter 9, searching for a believable ending. Well, judging from the way that I've had some of the characters developing, this will make sense. Well, thanks for reading this fic and I hope you enjoy the ending._

(-)

Jack had never been good at making decisions. He was the proud owner of two dogs, where the normal farmer would only raise one, only because he didn't want to choose between the two. The decision to leave Mineral Town for Forget-Me-Not Valley was not his; rather, a family tradition forced the decision on him. Now, Jack was forced to decide between two women he loved. In addition to making this decision, he also had to convince her that she was the only one for him. With Jack's way with saying the worst thing possible, he had better make sure that he had a very good explanation for her. Wait… if he said the wrong thing again, he could always go for his second choice!

The farmer had spent the entire length of the night after his latest screw-up trying to make up his mind. As usual, Jack had his two assistants, A and B, present to assist him with the final life-changing decision. There were so many implications to this choice, all of them weighing heavily on Jack's mind.

After a full night of going over every single detail, Jack was no closer to making up his mind than he was when he started. The two Blue Feathers were resting on the pillow on the bed. Jack had labeled the feathers with the girl's name that it was intended for. Nami's feather was in near perfect condition, while Elli's carried scars and blemishes just like the owner now had.

Jack had come up with a great argument for both girls, but also had found a few good reasons why not to choose them. Elli had all of the memories, the history, the way that things used to be. Nami represented that crucial turn in life where a boy became a man. If Jack chose Elli, he'd be stuck raising the child of a man who he hated. If he chose Nami, he would have destroyed the last hope that Elli ever had. The more that he thought about it, the harder it was to make up his mind.

"Takakura!" Jack called out. Even though it was still in the early hours of the morning, Takakura was guaranteed to be up. Maybe the elder farmer could offer Jack some words of wisdom to help him make up his mind. Within seconds, the door to Jack's house swung open and Takakura stepped inside, rubbing his eyes, "What is it?"

Jack held the two Blue Feathers out to Takakura. "I can't make up my mind. What I want you to do is tie one feather to A, the other feather to B. I'll have my back turned, so I won't see which dog has which feather. Then, I want you to chase the dogs outside and get them to run. I'll come outside and try to catch either A or B. Whichever one I catch, I'll marry the girl whose name is on the feather."

Takakura stared at Jack, "You're leaving an important decision like this up to chance?" Takakura was having difficulty comprehending Jack's motives.

The young farmer nodded his head solemnly. "I love them both and I don't want to hurt either of them. This is the only way that I can choose with a clean conscience." Jack had his back turned to Takakura as he went about tying the feathers to the playful dogs. Takakura knew that once the dogs figured out that they were going to be chased, they'd run all day long. That was the one part of Jack's plan that made sense.

"There, done." Takakura announced, ushering both puppies out the front door. Both A and B seemed to understand their purpose, considering the feathers tied to their collars as toys. Takakura kneeled down next to the two pups and whispered, "Run from Jack. He wants to catch you so that he can let the Harvest Sprites ride you." Never before had Takakura seen any type of animal run so fast. "You can chase them now." He told Jack.

Jack took a deep breath as he stepped outdoors. Maybe he should have instructed Takakura to release the dogs inside the pasture. At least in there, they were confined. Now, they had access to the entire valley. "I hope you don't mind taking care of the farm work today." Jack commented as he looked around to see if he could spot one of the dogs.

"It won't be any different than any other day." Takakura commented sarcastically. Jack shot his helper a quick glare before starting his chase of the dogs. He had heard one of them barking from somewhere in town. If only he could find it.

Takakura watched as the youngster rushed out of the farm, making sure that he was well out of sight before reaching into his pocket. "If you can't make up your own mind, somebody has to do it for you." Takakura told himself as he returned the Blue Feather that he had kept to his pocket.

(-)

"Have you seen one of my dogs?" Jack asked. This marked the fifteenth time that he had asked somebody the very same question. Almost everyone had seen the dogs come bolting through town, but nobody could point out exactly where one was at that very moment. Jack had even caught a glimpse of A once and had given chase, but he was no match for the boundless energy that the young pup had.

Rock made a motion down towards the beach. "Yeah, I saw one of them running by the ocean about ten minutes ago. Do you know what? You're a lucky guy, Jack. Last I heard, you've got two beautiful women interested in you."

"Trust me, Rock. It's not as cracked up as it's rumored to be." Jack rolled his eyes at his own statement. He had been having enough trouble trying to date one girl when he had memories of another. Now with both of them here, in person, his love life was turning into a living nightmare.

Right then, Jack spotted B making his way back up the hill. Without saying another word to Rock, Jack took off after the pup. B spotted Jack, gave a frightened yip, and then scampered back towards the beach. "You aren't getting away from me that easily!" Jack shouted.

B cast a frightened glance over his shoulder only to see a madman hot on his heels. Jack was a man possessed. B turned to the right, hoping to double back around a tree and sneak out of Jack's sight. One thing that B hadn't counted on was the tiny pond. There was nothing B could do but flop into that water. It just happened that Jack was in the midst of diving at B, not seeing the pond until he was headed on a crash course with it.

Jack found himself face first in the stagnant water, totally soaked. On the bank was B, wagging his tail happily at his owner's misery. Jack glared at the puppy, who barked playfully before running off towards the farm. But, Jack had enough time to notice something disturbing. He couldn't see the Blue Feather that was supposed to be attached to B. "He must have dropped it somewhere. Probably in this pond." Jack surmised. Now, not only was he wet, but he was playing in the water as well. Surely the other villagers were beginning to question his sanity.

About twenty minutes of thrashing about in the water, Jack still hadn't found the lost Blue Feather. Sure enough, a crowd was beginning to gather, pointing at Jack and whispering to each other. "What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen a grown man try to learn how to swim before?" Jack challenged.

The villagers merely shook their heads in disbelief before returning to their daily routines. "He's showing all the classic signs of mental instability." Doc Hardy whispered to Griffin, who nodded in agreement. "I heard that he proposed a few minutes ago. This must be his bachelor party."

"Really! To who?" Hardy probed, his interest clearly piqued.

Griffin shrugged his shoulders, "Dunno. Apparently Takakura went and did the deed for him. He's keeping pretty silent about the entire matter."

Jack, who had been oblivious to the entire conversation involving him, had just climbed out of the pond. His eyes were deadest on A, who had just peeked out of his hiding spot in the well. Jack was slowly inching his way across the grass, closing the distance between him and his target with deadly stealth movements. At least he could see the Blue Feather clearly attached to A's collar.

A had no idea what hit him. All of the sudden he was tackled to the ground and held so tightly that he could hardly move. Jack reached up and snatched the feather from A's collar. "And the lucky woman is…" Jack flipped the feather over to view the name of the woman that he would soon be proposing to. Elli. As soon as he saw the name, he felt a sudden wave of good feelings rush over his body. It was his gut choice, the one that he had been leaning towards. Now all he had to do was go find her and ask her.

Jack gently released A, who was immediately happy to see no Harvest Sprites around. A barked happily, but not at Jack, at the girl approaching him. Jack looked up and smiled. This was working better than he had planned out. He didn't even have to go looking for Elli, she had found him out. But, she looked upset, just like the day before. "What's wrong?" Jack asked, once again hiding the Blue Feather from her.

Elli stopped just a few steps away from Jack. She sniffled slightly before looking Jack directly in his eyes. "I heard that you made up your mind between me and my cousin." Her voice was filled with what sounded like contempt. Jack was obviously confused. How had she learned that his mind was made up so quickly after he had just decided himself? "Yes I did." Jack replied, rather cautiously. For all he knew, there could be something wrong elsewhere.

"Well, I hope that you and Nami are happy together." Elli spat out, catching Jack off guard. What was she talking about? He had decided to propose to her, not Nami. So why did Elli believe that he was getting married to Nami? Jack calmly reached out, grabbing hold of Elli's hands. "How can I be together with Nami when I want you to marry me?" He reached into his soaking wet pocket and produced the already worn down feather.

Elli's eyes became watery, her lips trembled. She had been dreaming of this moment for the last two seasons. Now that it was here, all of that pain that she had been feeling felt like it had just disapeared. All she could do was collapse into Jack's arms and whisper, "I accept."

(-)

Jack and Elli were making their way back to Jack's farm, where they planned on celebrating. Takakura was waiting at the entrance to his house and was obviously surprised when he saw Jack and Elli hand in hand. "Oh, you caught A. I didn't think that you would. Uh… don't go into your house." Takakura quickly moved to position himself between Jack and the main house.

Jack eyed his partner suspiciously. "What are you hiding?" Jack made to step around Takakura, but the elder farmer moved to block Jack's path. "This has something to do with B not having his Blue Feather, doesn't it?" Takakura meekly nodded. "Now I get it… You took the other Blue Feather and got me engaged to Nami, while I proposed to Elli."

Takakura was honestly surprised. This had to be either the greatest guess work on earth, or Jack finally used that brain of his. Takakura had his head hung low, feeling ashamed for what he had done. "I didn't want you to pick Elli, so I made sure that you would end up with Nami." Takakura looked up at Elli for a few seconds before continuing, "But, Elli, you look like a fine woman. I guess Jack really knew what he was doing after all."

Elli graciously nodded at Takakura, accepting his compliment. "What about Nami? You can't just go tell her that you take back the proposal, even if you didn't do it."

Jack carefully thought about what Elli had just said. There was another part of his brain remembering the conversation with Rock earlier. "Are you suggesting what I'm thinking?" Jack asked, a lecherous smile crossing his face.

"No! But I am suggesting that you take a liberal look at the situation. I know that you care about Nami as well as me. She told me as much last night after our little incident. We had even said that if there was a way for both of us to be happy, we'd do that. Well, this might be a way to make us both happy." Elli explained, pulling Jack past Takakura and towards the house.

Nami was waiting inside, seated on the bed. At the sight of Elli, she got up and appeared ready to storm out of the house. Elli stopped her, resting a hand on her cousin's shoulder. "Nami, would you mind sharing a husband?" Elli asked, much to Jack's astonishment. Jack's mind had been in the gutter so he hadn't thought up of an outcome like this.

Nami was just as shocked as Jack was. She looked at Jack, then at the Blue Feather that she was holding. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all.

(-)

_A/N: I know that there are going to be people who don't like this ending. Truthfully, I couldn't make up my mind as to who I wanted him to end up with, so I did both. Please don't be too upset. As for the quality of writing, I feel that it was really sloppy for this chapter. See, this is the one problem that I have with my writing that I still need to work on. I can't do endings that well. Oh well, let's see if I can improve before I finish my retirement fic. Be seeing you and thanks for reading!_


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